Love Sick
by Ca8E8ac
Summary: Poppy has designated Branch as prime minister of Troll Village while she remains Queen at the Troll Tree in Bergen-Town. With an upcoming wedding of the Bergen's coming up Branch and Poppy are going to be reunited...Will it end in another wedding or just a steamy encounter?
1. Chapter 1

Branch sat on his throne at Troll-Village with a frame held gingerly between his cerulean hands. The picture in the little frame portrayed a very pink and very happy looking queen complete in her gown and crown. Though her expression and position oozed happiness and positivity; Branch couldn't help but have this tug at his heart. The large leafed crown wouldn't stay on that hyper bobbing head. That intricate gown of leaves and fabrics would just get tangled up in her feet and slow down her exuberant need to dance and run.  
Worse still; he could feel the darkness trying to creep back inside of him. He could feel the vibrant blue/indigo of his hair fade in to something less eye grabbing. Just so slightly. He highly doubted anyone else would even notice the difference. The almost oceanic color of his little body dimmed as well. Less of a reef and more of a pool...  
Suddenly startled from his thoughts with a gentle clearing of the throat. The little frame held so delicately in his hands shot up in the air and before those hands could grab hold again the picture clacked to the stone floor and shattered.  
Bright blue eyes darkened instantly as the scowl he had worn for many years returned to his shining face. Those eyes shot straight to the perpetrator.  
She was young too. But as most trolls are she was almost entirely happy. His being startled and the picture being broken didn't even seem to faze the dopey smile on her face. She had a little book clutched within her pale yellow hands.  
"What do you want Honey?!" Branch demanded as he straightened himself back in his chair. Absently he adjusted the leafy half crown on his head.  
HoneySuckle-as her full name was- was a very pale yellow young troll. She had been designated by Poppy to Branch to be his helper in managing Troll-City. As queen, Poppy did not have enough time to rule at the Troll Tree in Bergen Town and the trolls that wanted to stay and continue their lives in the forest they had built within twenty one years. So she had named Branch sort of the prime minister and assigned him a random, bubbly, organized assistant that obviously he hated.  
Her hair was kept swept back low in a ponytail that trailed to her heels. The color ranged between a firey orange with shots of a lighter yellow and dimmer spots of nearly brown. Her wide little nose was bright orange too while her eyes were a more gentle, almost, hazel orange. She liked to dress in whites and greens that made no sense to Branch on a good day.  
Today wasn't a good day.  
HoneySuckle smiled and cocked her head goofily to the side, "Queen Poppy sent you something Mr. Branch!" As she thrust the thick little book towards him.  
Branch's face immediately brightened and the gasp he hadn't realized he took just made HoneySuckle giggle while he snatched at the book.  
He could remember the times her scrapbooking drove him absolutely insane. What was the point? There wasn't a point. It just made her happy...Now it made him happy.  
With a wide smiling face he opened the cover and started to read. Sneakily HoneySuckle walked up beside and somewhat behind him to read it too.

My Dearest Branch,

Everything is going so great at the troll tree! The Bergen come to party every day! Bridgette and King Grisle have set their wedding date and all of the trolls in the troll tree AND troll village have been invited! So I need you and HoneySuckle to arrange it and make the invitations asap!

See you soon, my dearest friend,  
Love Poppy

"Oh wow..." HoneySuckle exclaimed quietly while covering her surprised mouth with a dainty yellow hand.  
Branch jumped again because he hadn't realized she was reading behind his back to begin with. He slammed the little picture book shut and shood her with his hands to stand back in front of him.  
"Don't do that Honey! It's creepy!" He reprimanded.  
But she could see the difference in his color already after reading what Queen Poppy had wrote. He was trying to be stern but couldn't stop smiling as he ordered her to do as the letter instructed. She laughed and did a bobsy little curtsie before skipping out of his room.  
Branch made sure he was alone and that Honey had left before he leaned back comfortably in his chair and smiled lovingly at Poppy's handwriting and pictures.

"Love sick!? Daddy! I think you have Branch confused with another troll!" Poppy sighed exasperatedly.  
She had Satin and Chenille fussing over her wardrobe in front of a grand mirror. Readying her for the party. Of course she needed a formal gown and one to really party in...so this would take the better part of the day. And the entire time her half-senile father kept badgering at her that she needed to be getting married too. Branch loved her, it was obvious, and no one else had offered to go save the kidnapped trolls.  
Well.  
Branch hadn't offered to help either.  
But to her father Branch was the best thing since Trolls and Bergens made their truce. Which also wasn't that long ago...but again...half senile.  
"Daddy, come on. I have enough to think about without trying to picture myself marrying Branch and trying to make him happy on a daily basis. He did make me lose my color once."  
"Ah," Peppy chimed, "And he's the one that brought all of our colors back. And I seen the way you two looked at each other. He would go to the ends of the earth for you. And if he would go to the ends of the earth for his queen he would do the same for his people." Peppy had placed his old large hands on both of his daughters dainty shoulders. She had been turned from the mirror and in respect the two girls stopped fussing while her father was being so lucid.  
Their eyes connected and Poppy's glistened with tears to watch the lucidity in her fathers start to dim again. His smile turned from wise to that as if he were looking at a fussy toddler. It broke her heart to see her father leave her this way and that he had no control over it. She embraced him gently and he patted her back absently.  
Noting the change in atmosphere; Satin and Chenille started fussing over Peppy and led him out of the room in search of something to eat and maybe to encourage him to take a nap.  
Poppy waited to them to leave before she slowly sunk to the floor and hugged her knees. Everyone expected her to be strong and happy. Positive. The light in their lives. And she was...But she needed this moment to lower her head and grieve for the slow loss of the only family she ever had.

Bergen on the other hand had a very different style.  
Bridgitte was standing with her skrawny little arms out to her sides while other Bergen fussed around her attempting to make a wedding dress. Needless to say it was ill fitting and very oddly colored. But she seemed over the moon over the progress and giggled in her odd, high pitched yet deep, voice. King Grisle watched from a chair in the corner of the room and every so often ordered this or that. This made her even happier that he was so involved in how she would look on their big day.  
"Oh this is so wonderful!" She exclaimed.  
"Only the best for my Lady GlitterSparkles!" King Grisle said in his most kingly way. He knew her name was Bridgitte. But the name her had met her under stuck with them as a loving pet name between the two.  
Her dress was a mish mash between the jump suit she had met the King in-and what they could best interpret as rainbow because of the trolls having disguised her hair.  
Lets just say if humans existed in this world a hobo wouldn't be caught being marrieed in it.

Next time: The Bergen wedding and will Poppy realize how deep Branch's love is for her?


	2. We Don't Talk Anymore

The festivities were to begin soon. Within the next few days actually the carriage would be arriving to pick everyone up in Troll-Village.  
Branch didn't even try to hide his excitement. He would spend hours fussing at himself in the mirror wondering how he could make himself look irresistible to Queen Poppy on their reunion. Of course no one noticed either because they were throwing their own parties and getting themselves ready.  
The Prime Minister wasn't the most approachable of the trolls anyway.  
He was standing in front of the long mirror examining his outfit of choice. A velvety black vest that complimented his cerulean hue. His pants so deep of a navy it appeared black except in certain light. He really thought he looked pretty snazzy. Branch puffed out his chest and hooked a thumb in either arm of his vest and pulled it out slightly. Attempting to appear formal, or confident, or something. When he realized he just looked ridiculous he kind of slumped at his reflection and pursed his lips at himself.  
"Oh, stop pouting. You look great!" Chimed a chipper voice.  
Branch groaned and covered his face with his large hands and mumbled through them; "How long have you been standing there, Honey?"  
"Long enough to have seen you liked what you saw before your grumpiness took over." HoneySuckle answered in the doorway.  
She slowly sauntered over to the mirror and stood beside him. He still had his hands covering his face and didn't want to fix the pose because of his burning embarrassment. HoneySuckle of course laughed and made him feel worse. When Poppy would laugh at him in situations it was endearing. When Honey did it it just made him feel judged lesser of a Troll.  
"All we have to do is figure something out with that hair. Make it more...prime...ministery." HoneySuckle clicked her tongue to herself as she reached up towards his stock straight hair.  
Branch sighed and let his hands plop to his sides. Then he caught sight of Honey in the mirror beside him and jumped back like she was a rainbow-rattler. He fell over on to his rear end and looked up at her like she were insane.  
"Are you serious right now?" She sounded like a mother that had caught their toddler sniffing glue.  
HoneySuckle was stark naked. Which, for Trolls, wasn't such an uncommon occurrence. The glitters for instance were mostly all naked to show off their shining personalities but...the other trolls typically wore clothing. Her hair that she somehow kept tamed down covered her pale yellow body ethereally. Swishing to her ankles and appearing as soft as dandelion fluff. Every here and there she had a tiny little white flower or green vine entwined within the dark orange and faded out yellows and browns. She looked very pretty.  
And very naked.  
"Why are you dressed like that?" Branch asked.  
HoneySuckle growled and actually bunched her pale little fists at her sides.  
"Because just like _you_ and everyone _else_ in Troll-Village I am trying to find an outfit that is wedding and party appropriate that I like and that others will like to look at." She relaxed her hands and stood confidently; "And I think I have done just that, _Sir._ " The last word she said almost like a curse-word.  
Branch rolled his eyes and stood back up. He patted the dust off of his butt and walked back up to her. Branch didn't have to say anything to Honey. She could see it in his face that he was ashamed of himself and wanted her help with his own hair. So her sweet little face relaxed and she reached back up in to his hair, but being as he was taller than her, she led him to the nearest chair to fuss with it.  
As she got to work she rambled. A trait that Branch really despised in his designated assistant. But since she was helping him with something he would never be able to do himself and had too much pride to ask anyone else he kept his mouth shut.  
"I don't see why _you_ of all Trolls are making such a fuss over your appearance anyway."  
He didn't say anything.  
"I mean, sure, you're the prime minister and everything. But you're only invited to a _Bergen wedding_ so the main focus will be on them. Any left over focus will be for the Queen. Do you really think she's going to even notice _you_?"  
"Hey!" Branch objected and tried to stand up. Honey yanked his hair and made sure his butt was firmly planted.  
"Don't move, or you'll mess it up." She clucked her tongue; "Seriously; you two don't even speak to each other anymore. You're always so concerned with any kind of courier that you just don't send her letters or messages. And she's just too busy to send them to you. Well, except for _formalities_. Plus..." She trailed off while fiddling with his hair.  
Branch braced himself for what he didn't want to hear.  
"If you think that she hasn't found a suitor or won't have a formal date for the wedding you're more delusional than even _I_ thought."  
That was it. The finishing blow. Branch's heart hardened while at the same time turned to the most fragile glass.  
" _Get out_." He whispered.  
HoneySuckle hadn't meant to be so cruel about what she had said. But the tone of his voice made her realize what she had done. She actually gasped as she took a step back and nearly ran out of his room. The door slammed behind her.  
Branch slowly stood up from his chair and looked at HoneySuckle's work in his mirror. His hair had been brushed to the side in almost a looping hook. Just like Creek's used to be. Furiously he mussed it all up so that it looked like it did to begin with. But he liked it. It was him...He didn't have to be someone he wasn't.

 ** _(Charlie Puth: we don't talk anymore)_**

Branch started to sing to himself in his angelic voice not many got the chance to hear. He looked in to his own eyes in the mirror and sang to himself as much as to Poppy, who far away, couldn't hear him either.  
 _"We don't talk anymore, we don't talk anymore, we don't talk anymore like we used to do..._  
 _We don't love anymore, what was all of it for? Oh...we don't talk anymore, like we used to do..."_  
He turned from the mirror and left his chambers. As he walked outside everyone was fussing and rushing around excitedly getting ready. He could see couples, single Trolls, families even with babies all helping each other eagerly. No one even gave him a glance. Not one troll wondered why the prime minister was slumped over with his hands in the pockets of his formal pants singing to himself very sadly.  
He may as well have been invisible.  
 _"I just heard you found the one you've been looking-"_ He wiped the back of a hand over his eyes and caught his breath; _"You've been looking for. I wish I would have known that wasn't me."_  
He found his way to the edge of a small cliff. Large for a troll but just more of a small boulder to a Bergen. He sat down and let his legs dangle off of the edge. Watching all of the rainbow Trolls in their over-saturated happiness.  
 _"Cause even after all this time I still wonder why I can't move on just the way you did so easily."_ He covered his face in his hands and wept in to them as he continued- _"Don't wanna know what kind of dress you're wearing tonight if he's holding onto you so tight, the way I did before...I overdosed...Should've known your love was a game...Now I can't get you out of my brain."_ He sucked in a shuddering breath and looked up at the sky; _"Oh, it's such a shame."_

While at the Troll-Tree Poppy was ready. Satin and Chenille were gushing over her reflection and their work in her magnificent dress. It was all sparkles and glitter but it was the same pastel rainbow that they had made Bridget's hair when meeting the King. They also had her hair braided up in to an adorable up do with copious amounts of sparkle to that too. She looked like a little rainbow star. The sisters were squealing and giggling while jumping up and down holding each others hands.  
"Thanks girls." Poppy giggled, "You two should go get ready now."  
"Yes Queen Poppy!" They shrieked and ran from the room like lightning.  
Poppy turned from the mirror and walked slowly around her elegant Chambers and rooms. What her father had been drilling in to her brain the last couple weeks had been sinking in. But it turned on her. What if the reason he didn't send her messages was because he found someone that actually understood him? Who could weather his moods and his stormy eyes. Someone, who, without trying, could make him smile. The romantic words and song he had sang to her over a year ago just seemed to torment her now that she let it sink so deeply in to her heart.  
She found herself a fluffy branch on the troll tree where she could be alone to sing to herself; _"I just hope you're lying next to somebody who knows how to love you like me. There must be a good reason that you're gone. Every now and then I think you might want me to come show up at your door...But I'm just too afraid that I'll be wrong."_  
She stood up and went back to her bedroom. In a box she kept some keepsakes of her and Branch. A picture, some scrap booking, a bag full of glitter he demanded she not use any longer on their rescue mission. It all made her smile but ache at the same time as she piled them beside the chest in reverie.  
 _"Don't wanna know if you're looking into her eyes. If she's holding onto you so tight the way I did before...I overdosed...Should've known your love was a game, now I can't get you out of my brain, oh it's such a shame."_

 ** _Both of them continued with the final preparations:_**  
 ** _"That we don't talk anymore, we don't talk anymore, we don't talk anymore...We don't love anymore, What was all of it for? Oh, we don't talk anymore, like we used to do..._**

 ** _Like we used to do."_**

Next time: Will Branch and Poppy reunite or will they each find each other in another Troll's embrace?


	3. A Piece Of My Heart

All of the Trolls in Troll-Village were eagerly awaiting the carriage. It was to arrive at any moment. At the forefront of the very bedazzled crowd were the Prime Minister Branch and his assistant HoneySuckle. He kept looking at her through the corner of his eyes, appraising what she chose to wear, when at first he didn't like it.  
Her dark hazel eyes caught his blue at one of these glances and she cocked an eyebrow arrogantly. Branch grinned and laughed before looking down as if admitting that, yes, she did look good. She looked very soft and pale and feminine and he noticed the other male Trolls ogling her just a little more than the others.  
"You do look really good, Honey. You really stand out." He looked her square in the face, but politely. "I was definitely wrong to react the way I did when I first seen you."  
She absolutely beamed with pride.  
"THEY'RE HERE!" Someone randomly shouted.  
As raucous cheers rang out through the forest Branch and HoneySuckle turned their faces to the spectacle.  
Two guardsmen Bergen in full regalia were carrying a large square carriage. It was lopsided, gaudy, and very odd. But the two Bergen carrying it could not hide their gnarly smiles and delight upon seeing all of the happy little Trolls. They carried the carriage and slowly sat it down in front of Branch and HoneySuckle.  
Branch's heart started beating so fast and hard in his chest that he nearly started hyperventilating.  
"Mr. Branch..." HoneySuckle tried to tell him-but he either didn't hear her in his excitement or didn't care to listen.  
He ran to the door and ripped it open to come face to face...  
With Guy Diamond.  
Branch was starkly taken aback by the sparkling face in front of him. He wanted to see Poppy. Expected to see Poppy. But here was this random Troll with the annoying voice standing in what he believed should be her place.  
"Where-"  
It seemed at the same time that both Guy Diamond and HoneySuckle realized he was about to breakdown when they each jumped towards him. HoneySuckle hugged on to one of his arms sisterly while Guy Diamond grabbed him sternly along the other arm.  
"Prime Minister Branch." Guy Diamond began loudly for the crowd to hear; "Queen Poppy is eagerly expecting you at the Troll Tree for the Bergens wedding."  
Branch caught his footing and stood back up straight with their help. He didn't have the confidence that his voice wouldn't break if he spoke but he did let Guy Diamond lead him to where he was supposed to go. A little room custom made for him in the back in calming colors like dark reds and gentle purples. As Guy Diamond left him and shut the door behind him his eyes locked with HoneySuckle's and they had an instant connective thought that _'damn, this guy's got it bad_ '.  
HoneySuckle did not go in the room with him but instead walked with Guy Diamond to help the rest of the Trolls get inside the carriage comfortably. They turned out to be a very good team. Intuitive of each others thoughts and needs and to act out what needed doing.  
When it was all done and they could feel the Bergen lifting them up-they sat together- and just looked each other over.  
"You look awesome." Guy Diamond came right out.  
HoneySuckle giggled; "Well, you look nice too, but you're a sparkle in a pile of glitter."  
Guy Diamond raised his eyebrows but liked her sass; "Well-I like you even more now."  
HoneySuckle laughed out loud and reared her head back.

Branch could hear them all laughing. The sway of the carriage moving made his stomach churn. He sank in to a chair bolted to the floor and held his face in his hands. Why did he think that she would be here? That was the dumbest thing he'd ever done. Honestly. Of course The Queen has to stay right where she's at. He could punch himself in the face for his stupidity. Branch sighed heavily and sat up to reach in to his pocket. He pulled out a little wooden box he had made and opened it up slowly. Looking at the item inside seemed to calm him. Slowly he closed the box and put it back in his pocket for safety.  
Suddenly the carriage bumped a little. Just enough to make the Trolls gasp or some babies cry, but not enough to hurt anyone, and that wasn't all. Something bumped out of a chest in the corner of his room.  
Branch cocked his head and stood up to see what it was. Upon leaning down to pick it up his heart alighted. It was an invitation card like Poppy used to make him years ago but he always pretended he hated. He opened the cover and out popped a queenly little poppy with no one other beside her than him...Branch.  
The happiness that swelled inside him actually made him glow brightly. He laughed out loud and jumped around his room cheering.

Guy Diamond and HoneySuckle were in the main room laughing and talking. At some point they started gently holding hands. A strong friendship was forming between them. One of those rare occasions when you meet someone its as if you have known them your entire life. Their merriment was interrupted though by the sound of Branch in his room jumping and...screaming in delight? Guy Diamond and HoneySuckle both looked at each other with very weird expressions.  
"He always was a weird dude." Guy Diamond tried to explain.  
HoneySuckle sucked in a breath and raised her eyebrows; "Trust me, sweetie, you don't gotta tell me that. I deal with the guy every day and his moods are like the weather."  
"The weather?!" The metaphor completely flew over his head.  
"Yes. Sometimes he's dark and stormy like it's going to rain. Other times he's bright and sunny on the best days you want to go swimming. Then, other times, he's just...calm. Like he's in a limbo."  
"What kind of weather is limbo?" Guy Diamond wrinkled his face.  
HoneySuckle shook her head and laughed with her eyes closed.  
"I really can't explain that mood any better than I just did."  
Guy Diamond nodded his head in acceptance and then they continued their more interesting conversation...of each other.

Poppy was waiting outside in front of the Troll-Tree for the carriage to arrive. It would only take about an hour one way for the Bergens to get to Troll-Village-but two coming back to compensate for young and old or infirm Trolls that couldn't handle a bumpy ride. They had timed the excursion and she was fidgeting trying to hide her excitement upon seeing Branch. Oh she'd lie to your face about it, but it was why she was so excited, so glowing.  
Beside her were the King Gristle and his future Queen and bride Bridget. They were just as excited to see little Branch arrive-however-most of their attention was lost looking in to each others eyes. It was very sweet and Poppy on more than one occasion awwwwed at them.  
It seemed to take forever but all too soon there it was coming towards them. Poppy started to suck in breaths as if she had run for miles. Satin and Chenille each laid a calming hand on her shoulders. She calmed herself but hopped in place as the carriage was lowered to the ground.  
The door opened, to Poppy, in slow motion. All of the sights and the sounds dimmed and slowed as that door agonizingly appeased her anxiety.  
Beaming with a grin from ear to ear was her Prime Minister. Branch. Her friend. Her dearest friend. All the other Trolls walked passed him to be reunited with their own friends and family. The Bergens celebrated too and there was much hugging and picking up of the Trolls and gushing over outfits and hairdo's.  
Slowly Poppy and Branch walked up to each other and reached out their hands. When their palms connected a glowing emanated from the touch, a beautiful mix of his blue and her pink, sort of a purple.  
They were definitely in their own world. HoneySuckle and Guy Diamond were holding hands behind Branch and watching the weird scene unfold.  
"If they don't get together I might just die." Guy Diamond said very dramatically.  
"Or at least _get together_ to get rid of some of that energy. _Dang_." HoneySuckle was just as breathless from the spectacle.  
Technically what was supposed to happen was that the Queen was to welcome her Prime Minister back for the festivities and then some formalities from Gristle and Bridget. However, none of that happened, and those sorts of things kind of fell on the heads of HoneySuckle and Guy Diamond. They didn't mind at all and took the hardship head on with vigor.

Without even realizing it Branch and Poppy had walked away from the crowd and been allowed to without being followed or bothered. They walked for a long time holding hands. Not speaking, but staring at each other lovingly. Poppy couldn't believe she missed him as much as she was missing him right now beside her.  
Branch, well, Branch finally felt alive again. That year without her had been so hard to not just go full gray again. He knew she picked Honey for him to try to keep his spirits up. For the most part HoneySuckle did pretty good, she was random, off the wall, and sassy. She definitely kept him on his toes.  
But this is what he lived for. This day. This moment. This Troll by his side.  
They stopped by a little runoff near the Bergen's homes. To them it was like a creek. The bubbling and rushing was soothing to their ears even though it was hard to hear over their pounding hearts. Suddenly Branch fell to his knee in front of her.  
"Branch?!" Poppy could have sworn her heart stopped and she would die.  
 _ **(Shawn Mendes: Never Be Alone)**_  
Branch began to sing as he reached in to his pocket for the little wooden box.  
 _"I promise that one day I'll be around, I'll keep you safe, I'll keep you sound. Right now it's pretty crazy and I don't know how to stop or slow it down. Hey, I know there are some things we need to talk about and I can't stay...Just let me hold you for a little longer now."_  
He opened the wooden box to reveal a necklace he had made himself. It was silver with a silver heart pendant covered in clear glass...With his bright dark blue hair twined inside to form the heart. Branch continued to sing as Poppy gasped and reached out for the necklace.  
 _"Take a piece of my heart and make it all your own, So when we are apart, you'll never be alone. You'll never be alone."_  
He stood up and took a step towards her to help her tie the chain behind her neck. Then he took her in his arms in a loving embrace.  
 _"You'll never be alone. When you miss me close your eyes. I may be far but never gone."_  
Poppy hid her face in his chest. Against the black velvet of his vest and tried not to let any tears mess it up. She sniffled loudly and clung to him like he might float away. Branch was silent but she could feel his breathing as if he were terrified. It seemed ages before she looked up at him and he cupped her pretty little face in his large hands.  
"Come on guys-you'll have to finish this up later." HoneySuckle chimed in.  
Branch rolled his eyes and growled. Poppy laughed and wrapped her hands around his wrists.  
"We'll talk after the party, Branch. We have a lot of time."  
She pulled away from him and walked up to a chattering HoneySuckle. Branch sighed and followed farther behind so he didn't have to hear most of their conversation.

 _ **Next time: The Bergen Wedding!? Will Branch and Poppy get together 'get together' or will he be sent back to Troll Village to remain her prime minister? And what about Guy Diamond and HoneySuckle? Is there something more there than just friendship? See next time! Thanks for reading!**_


	4. Before I Lose My Mind

**_(Charlie Puth: Kiss Me Before I Lose My Fucking Mind)_**

 _"I should have told you how I really feel a little in advance."_ Branch was stone cold drunk at the bar and started singing to himself.

(Earlier in the day: Poppy and HoneySuckle got themselves caught up on how well Troll Village had been doing as well as the Troll Tree. It turns out that the festivities for the wedding were going to last a week. Because, of course, what fun could you have for a wedding if it only lasted one day or a couple hours!?  
Branch lagged behind them fiddling with his little box he had made. Poppy seemed to have really liked the necklace he had made her. He thought that they may even have sealed the deal and confessed their undying love for one another.  
But that damn HoneySuckle. He growled as he squeezed the box angrily.  
Then he realized when he looked up HoneySuckle and Poppy were both looking at him as if he lost his mind at his outburst on the box. He blushed and stood up straight. Turned around and chucked the box as far away as he could. While his back was still turned Poppy silently gasped and reached out to tell him not to do it, but HoneySuckle placed her pale yellow hand on Poppy's raised wrist and shook her head. By the time Branch turned back around Poppy was standing with her hand wrapped around the heart on her necklace with a worried look on her face. HoneySuckle just looked annoyed but calm-in that mothering way that she had. Branch's expression was the one he used to constantly wear when Poppy knew him before. His blue eyes locked with her purple but nothing was said.  
HoneySuckle got tired of the dramatic silence and grabbed Poppy by the shoulder to spin her back around; "Queen Poppy we have so much to do we can't just stand around gawking at each other."  
Poppy was good at readjusting situations too and grinned and continued to banter.  
Branch watched them walk away until they were out of sight.)

 _"Then I would've had some time to go and work it out. I think I've lost my chance"_ He let his face bang against the bar and left it there.  
Cooper and Biggs were trying to console him and quiet him down. Biggs reached for the cup that was still clutched in the cerulean Troll's hand but he had a vice grip on it and honestly Biggs was scared his Mr. Dinkles may be hurt.  
"I got this, dude." Cooper consoled Biggs as the burlier Troll hugged his little pet and walked off worriedly.  
On the other side of the room Poppy hadn't noticed just how drunk Branch had gotten or that he was beginning to make a scene. She was so swamped with Trolls and Bergens wanting her attention that she honestly did not even have a moments time to glance around for him.  
 _"For the last year I just hid it so well, hoping that you'd figure it out because I never could tell it straight to your face."_ At least he sang this line with his face still pressed against the bar.  
Cooper bit his lip but started patting Branch on the back.  
"Come on, man. Lets go sleep it off. You'll feel better in the morning. I know you used to never party and you just partied a little too hard tonight. Gotta take it slow your first few times. I got you."

(The Bergen's dining hall had been set up. It was absolutely gorgeous and a little off-putting. When you set Trolls and Bergens to do the decorating you definitely get some interesting combinations. All of the trolls smaller tables were set upon a large table in the middle of the Bergen's that were placed all around them. This way they could all eat on the same level politely and converse.  
Poppy was dressed in a pale purple dress with her hair done up by HoneySuckle this time. Satin and Chenille were annoyed that they didn't get to do her hair but tried to let it slide. Poppy's hair had been curled in large almost waves and half bounced down to her shoulders. Ribbons and lavender were wound in her hair much the same as HoneySuckle did to herself with vines and white flowers.  
Branch was set next to her. Satin and Chenille had gotten to him but he refused to let anyone do anything with his hair. He was wearing a matching suit of a deeper purple to match the Queen though.  
The dinner went on without a hitch. Branch just stared at Poppy the entire time. It made the others directly around him feel creeped out but the Trolls that knew Branch just plain felt bad for the guy. Poppy tried to give her attention equally to the King and his fiance while still being polite to everyone around them.  
The only chance she got to even acknowledge Branch was under the table. He had one elbow on the table holding his cheek in his hand to stare at her while the other one was on his leg. She kept up her conversations with everyone else while she slipped her hand under the table and gave his a gentle squeeze.  
Branch melted from the touch and the smile on his face would not budge for the rest of the meal.)

 _"Never have I ever woken up in a cold hard sweat from a dream wondering if you'd say 'goodbye' if I didn't say it first."_ Branch lifted his face and stood up straight very quickly.  
Cooper yelped and jumped back but he had a pretty good idea of where this was going; "Man, don't do it, you're going to make a spectacle of yourself!"  
Branch turned from the bar and actually tossed his drink on the ground. Cooper gasped and commented; "RUDE MAN!" while trying to hold Branch back from storming in the direction of Poppy and everyone around her.  
 _"I'm done playing these games!"_ He was singing...but also screaming...Very drunk.  
Everyone around Poppy went silent and stood back to let him through to her.  
"Branch, what are you talking about we're not playing games right now..." Poppy chuckled nervously.

(After dinner the tables were cleared and a dance floor set up and a bar. Of course there was an appropriately sized bar for Bergens on one side of the room and the other for the Trolls on the other side. This left the middle of the room free for both to mingle.  
Branch and Poppy had to have one formal dance along with King Gristle and Bridget. It was very strict and every time Branch tried to get a little over the top with the dance or talk to Poppy she shushed him and continued to lead. This put him in a dark mood but he made it through without making a scene.  
After the dance everyone began to dance in the middle of the floor with different types and styles of music. And a lot of drinking. Everyone knew their limits though and were very respectful except for Branch who went completely overboard.)

 _"I can't believe what I'm about to say!"_  
Branch walked straight up to Poppy and grabbed her face in his large hands. Everyone gasped and some darted to rip him off the queen but she held out her arms and hands in a placating 'stop' so no one made a move. He moved his face so close to hers that all she could see were the blue of his eyes and the smell of the sweet flowery drinks he had consumed on his breath.  
 _"I won't tell you goodbye with my love left behind."_  
He moved his face even closer, closing his eyes, resting his forehead against hers and their noses nearly right beside each other. She could feel the tickle of his breath with the movement of his lips.  
 _"Kiss me before I fucking lose my mind..."_  
He didn't kiss her. Didn't press his lips against hers. But he kept his hands on her face and his face against hers.  
"Poor Branch..." She choked as she stroked back his hair and rubbed her hands down his back.  
"The Prime Minister needs to be taken to his room to sleep this off." She was crying when she said this and knew Branch would need peeled off. But Peeled off he was. It wasn't as hard as she was expecting it to be because he was indeed very very drunk. Some helpful Trolls half dragged/carried him out and took him to his quarters.  
"Are you okay, Queen Poppy?" HoneySuckle asked.  
Poppy wiped her eyes and nodded her head with a smile. "Yeah I'm fine. That's just Branch. He's an intense guy."

 ** _(Next time: Really I'm just teasing you now aren't I? Are they going to get together? Or does Poppy really not feel the same way? OOooOooOOOoo Find out next time!)_**


	5. Little Do You Know

After the party died down and the King Gristle and his fiance were ready to retire for the night; Poppy also said her good nights. Everyone knew or figured she was worried over Branch or embarrassed by his drunken shenanigans. However...no one really knew what she was feeling and thinking but herself.  
She passed HoneySuckle and Guy Diamond holding hands while she walked towards the rooms they had carried Branch to.  
"Oh, hi guys." She said.  
"We don't have to pretend like we don't know where you're going." HoneySuckle said in a conspiratorial way.  
Guy Diamond laughed and squeezed HoneySuckle's hand tighter; "You may have more fun when he's not so drunk, Queen."  
Poppy blushed fiercely even though it honestly wasn't the reason she was going to Branch's room. The other two Trolls giggled as they went to a room together. Leaving Poppy standing there alone and feeling very...well she wasn't sure how she was feeling at the moment.  
Slowly she made her way to Branch's room. Her mind a whirl. She did love him, but she was scared to be with him. What if he went gray again? What if the reason he went gray again was because she did something and messed up? Poppy wasn't sure she could risk that. She loved him too much to be with him to hurt him.  
When she made it to his room she slowly opened the door and walked in. Made sure the door closed quietly behind her. Branch was either passed out or asleep on the bed. Poppy walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. Branch was on his side apparently asleep with his knees curled up and a palm under his cheek. Softly Poppy began to stroke his hair and his upturned cheek. It wasn't enough to wake him up but it felt good to do.

 ** _(Little Do You Know: Alex & Sierra)_**

 _"Little do you know how I'm breaking while you fall asleep. Little do you know I'm still haunted by the memories. Little do you know I'm trying to pick myself up piece by piece. Little do you know..."_ She stopped stroking his hair and his face and turned away from him. Her hand went around the heart he had made her and that she hadn't removed since he gifted it to her. The other hand rested in her lap as she lowered her face and closed her eyes;  
 _"I need a little more time._  
 _Underneath it all I'm held captive by the hole inside...I've been holding back for the fear that you might change your mind. I'm ready to forgive you but forgetting is a harder fight. Little do you know..."_ She quietly sniffled. _"I need a little more time."_  
Branch hadn't been asleep or passed out. He had sobered up since the party ended though. When he heard the door open he pretended to be asleep in hopes whoever it was went away. He first assumed it would be Honey or Cooper come to check up on him. In which case he would stay 'sleeping' but then...It was Poppy. It took everything he had in him to keep his breathing even and his face from turning hot. He could feel her little hand in his hair, on his face, and listened to her sweet voice. Then suddenly she stopped.  
He stretched out straight on the bed and looked at her back. Her face was down and her eyes were closed. Darling little hand clasped around his heart. It reminded him of the time that they had almost not made it out of that pot alive. When he started to sing she nearly jumped off the bed and her head whipped around to look down at him laying there.  
 _"I'll wait, I'll wait. I'll love you like you've never felt the pain. I'll wait. I promise you don't have to be afraid. I'll wait. The love is here and here to stay, so lay your head on me."_  
He opened his arms to her so that she would lay down with him. But she didn't budge. For a while he kept his arms this way until he realized she wasn't going to move. So Branch instead sat up on the bed and scooted closer to her, but still a little behind, while she watched him.  
 _"Little do you know, I know you're hurting while I'm sound asleep. Little do you know-"_ Tears started to flow freely down his face. _"All my mistakes are slowly drowning me. Little do you know I'm trying to make it better piece by piece. Little do you know I..."_  
He scooted close enough to hold both of her hands in his. His eyes locked on to hers and he hoped that she could hear that it was coming straight from his heart; _"I love you till the sun dies."_  
She smiled with a few tears leaking from her purple eyes as well. They continued together;  
 _"Oh wait, just wait. I love you like I've never felt the pain. Just wait. I love you like I've never been afraid. Just wait. Our love is here and here to stay."_ Poppy almost whispered; _"So lay your head on me."_  
Branch's heart burst and he didn't need another invitation. He pulled her closer to him in a tight embrace and buried his face in her curled hair. Poppy rested her face against his chest as his arms were wrapped around her.  
 _Branch: "I'll wait."_  
 _Poppy: "I'll wait"_  
 _Both: "I'll love you like you've/I've never felt the pain."_  
 _Branch: "I'll wait."_  
 _Poppy: "I'll wait."_  
 _Both: "I promise you/I don't have to be afraid. I'll wait. The love is here and here to stay so lay your head on me. Lay your head on me. So lay your head on me..._  
Branch slowly layed back on the bed and took Poppy down beside him. They were still tightly clung together as he finished the song. She could hear his heart in her ear as well as hear his voice.  
 _"Little do you know I...Love you till the sun dies..."_

"Rise and shine, Mr Branch!" HoneySuckle barged in to the door. She wanted to make his head rattle if he was hung over.  
Instead she got to see the Queen and her Prime Minister in the bed together curled up. Only, sadly, fully dressed. However...She refused to pass up the opportunity to pick on Branch.  
"Ohhhh _excuse_ _me_." HoneySuckle said sarcastically.  
"I hadn't realized you would have company last night."  
"Shut up Honey!" Branch nearly roared because Poppy had jumped out of the bed and almost tripped herself on her dress.  
HoneySuckle laughed and walked over to Poppy to help her right herself.  
"Oh calm down you old grouch. I'm just picking on you guys." She smiled lovingly at Poppy. Poppy returned the smile with a slight blush on her face.  
"Honestly though, we have to get today's festivities underway. Plus, Your Highness if you don't let those twins do your hair today after I messed it up I think they might hack all of mine off." She led Poppy out of the room.  
Once again Branch watched Honey take away his love. Why was it always her? Suddenly he had the image of Creek in his mind. But he figured Honey didn't even know Creek before he had been cast out to the wilderness with Chef. He sighed and grumbled his way out of bed. Soon the twins would be cackling their way in to his own room to fuss over him and make him match Poppy again for the day.

Turns out Poppy and Branch had been summoned straight to King Gristle's throne. They were both nervous and thought that they had ruined the after party that was supposed to be for Gristle and Bridget. Well, it would have been Branch's fault but Poppy felt just as guilty. HoneySuckle told them that they were wanted but no aids were welcome. So she watched curiously as they both walked in without her and died to know why.  
Poppy curtsied and Branch bowed once they got in front of Gristle and Bridget. Though the formality was lost on them because Bridget squealed and lumbered up to the both of them. She scooped them up and hugged them ever so gently.  
"We seen how you two were last night and I had the greatest idea!"  
Both of their hearts sank to hear this great idea.  
"We should make this a double wedding!" She twirled with both of them in her arms.  
Branch and Poppy both stammered nonsensical reasons why that it couldn't be a double wedding but all it accomplished was upsetting Bridget and making Gristle angry. She put them both down and ran away sobbing out of the room.  
"My darling!" King Gristle called after her. When she didn't seem to hear him he turned his wrath on the two Trolls and jumped off of his throne to stomp up to them. He pointed a kingly staff at them threateningly,  
"If you two don't get married on the same day the truce between the Trolls and Bergen is over! I _refuse_ to see my love anything other than happy. So that's either a wedding or a feast of Trolls every day. The festivities for today are cancelled so that you two can make up your minds. _Now get out_!"  
Branch and Poppy turned and ran out of the throne room. Right passed HoneySuckle who still didn't know anything. But she dared to walk in to ask the king

 _ **(Honestly didn't mean to end this here but neighbors are bothering me)**_


	6. Turn Tables

Poppy ran. She ran for her life. For fear, for the love of all of her Trolls that were under her care and guidance. She ran until her lungs burned and her legs started going numb. Eventually she fell to her hands and knees and tried to gasp in gulps of air.  
Branch had been struggling to keep up with her. As soon as Gristle threatened them she took off like a pink streak of lightning. He had wanted to stay and negotiate and try to make the Bergen realize you can't just make people get married-but he had to follow Poppy. He would never be able to forgive himself if something happened to her.  
She ended up running so far and so fast they weren't even in Bergen town anymore.  
"Poppy! Poppy!" Branch could barely rush out the word from his own breathing.  
He fell on his knees beside her and tried to scoop her in for a hug. She violently flailed at him and actually slapped him across the face with the last bit of strength she had. Branch sat and watched as she curled up in a fetal position and wailed.  
"It's...all...your... _fault!_ " She cried and cried and cried and Branch was horrified to watch her color leak out of her; "I tried so hard to be a good queen and to make everyone happy. You came and ruined it all!"  
Branch started to cry too. But it was from frustration. Damnit, girl, it wasn't his fault that Bergen were so dumb! He kept himself relatively calm and brushed away the tears and sniffled when he needed to.  
 _"I'll wait...I'll wait...I'll love you like you've never felt the pain. The love is here and here to stay..."_ He gently sang. Wasn't sure she would even hear it over her sobbing.  
She actually cried herself in to passing out.  
Branch sat and watched her for a couple hours. When he realized they were pretty deep in the forest he began to make camp. This took him a couple more hours and he had a little fire going by the time she came to. He sat across from her with the fire between them. The only thing he could hear was the crackling of the little branches he had found to burn. He wished he were one of them...

HoneySuckle had run in to the room after Poppy and Branch to catch the tail end of Gristle stomping out of the room.  
"Your Highness! Wait! Pardon me!" HoneySuckle pleaded  
Gristle turned around with wrath written all over his face. HoneySuckle stopped and gasped. She was frozen in fright as the king walked up to her and grabbed her in his hand.  
"Your Queen refused a request from my bride. If she continues to refuse my request the truce between us is over! I could start it right now by eating my first Troll today..."  
"No! Please! Your Highness no! I don't want to die!" HoneySuckle screamed in terror as she was being moved closer to the gnarly foul smelling mouth of Gristle.  
"GRISTLE NO!" Bridget screeched and smacked his hand as hard as she could.  
HoneySuckle was successfully smacked out of his grasp and she barely made her hair fluff out underneath her so the drop didn't injure her. She didn't wait to see what happened next as she ran out of the room too. Straight to the Troll-tree to try to warn the other Trolls  
"You can't hurt the trolls!" Bridget was extremely upset. "I thought about it...and...if I were forced to marry someone I didn't love...instead of you...It would have broken my heart. It's not fair for us to try to force Poppy to do it."  
Gristle was too far gone to hear any of it and stomped off. Bridget sat on the floor and sobbed; "What have I done?"

 ** _(Julia Brennan- Inner Demons {My Trolls Edit})_**

Poppy and Branch stared at each other across the fire. He was sitting with his elbows on his knees and his palms facing down. His color was still there. The oranges and yellows of the fire made his blues look like rippling water. Poppy was still laying on the ground but she noticed he had put a pillow of leaves underneath her head and a leaf for a blanket over her. She was still gray. Poppy rolled to her back and looked at the canopy for a little while. Then she turned her head towards him and began to sing.  
Branch jumped when she started to sing but he didn't dare to interrupt her. He wanted to make everything better and take everything away. Those damn Bergen...  
 _"You said don't let them in. Close my eyes and clear my thoughts again..."_ She looked back at the canopy _"When I'm all alone, they show up on their own. Cause Bergen fight their battles with fire. Bergen don't play by the rules. My friends say, just push them down, just fight them harder. Why would you give up on it so soon?"_  
She rolled on to her side facing Branch but stayed under her little leaf. Her voice was pleading and sorrowful and it hurt his heart to hear it. He sat on his knees and actually grabbed at his chest gently.  
 _"So Branch, Branch please just keep on fighting. Branch, don't give up on me today. The Bergen they are there; they keep on fighting cause Bergen just won't go away. So Branch please; stay here...Take the pain; take the fear..."_  
Branch stood to his feet and bunched his fists to his sides. But he let her finish and didn't interrupt.  
 _"They say it won't be hard; they can't see the battles in my heart. But when I turn away the Bergen seem to stay. Cause Bergen don't play well with Trolls. They cheat and lie and steal and break and bruise."_ She rolled back to her back and covered her face in her hands and wept; _"Branch please protect me from these monsters...This is a battle I don't want to lose. So Branch please...hear my prayer...Life is pain; life's not fair. So Branch please; please stay here...take the pain; take the fear"_  
She quietly cried in to her hands.  
Branch swallowed the lump in his throat and walked beside the fire towards the monotone Poppy. He fell to his knees beside her and scooped her up in his arms. Held her like a baby tightly against him and his indigo hair wrapped around the both of them.

 ** _(We The Kings Ft Elena Coats: Sad Song)_**

 _"You and I, we're like fireworks and symphonies exploding in the sky. With you, I'm alive. Like all the missing pieces of my heart-they finally collide."_  
He rocked her gently and looked in to her eyes.  
 _"So stop time right here in the moonlight, cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes. Without you I feel broken. Like I'm half of a whole. Without you, I've got no hand to hold. Without you, I feel torn like a sail in a storm. Without you...I'm just a sad song...A sad song."_  
 _ **Poppy:**_ _"With you, I fall. It's like I'm leaving all my past and sillhouettes up on the wall. With you, I'm a beautiful mess. It's like we're standing hand in hand with all our fears up on the edge."_  
She opened her eyes and looked back in to his. Her gray hand reached up to rest against his cheek as he rocked them.  
 _"So stop time right here in the moonlight cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes."_  
 _ **Branch:**_ _"Without you I feel broke like I'm half of a whole. Without you I've got no hand to hold."_  
He put his hand over hers that she had placed on his cheek.  
 ** _Branch:_** _"Without you I feel torn, like a sail in a storm. Without you I'm just a sad song."_  
 ** _Both:_** _"You're the perfect melody the only harmony I wanna hear. You're my favorite part of me. With you standing right next to me I've got nothing to fear."_  
 _ **Branch:**_ _"Without you I feel broke like I'm half of a whole."_  
 ** _Poppy:_** _"Without you I've got no hand to hold."_  
 ** _Branch:_** _"Without you I feel torn like a sail in a storm."_  
Their song trailed off as their eyes slowly closed together. He held her for a long time before they both fell asleep under the stars.

HoneySuckle had told Guy Diamond everything that had happened to her but that she didn't know what the request was. Obviously the next move would have been to have the Trolls escape through the tunnels - but - the King had Bergen guarding it. Which in itself was odd because the guards didn't know why they were even doing it. They were friendly when asked why and sincere when they said they had no clue why the Trolls weren't allowed to leave. But they had to listen to their king.  
Guy Diamond and HoneySuckle were in her room adjacent to Branch's as he had an arm wrapped around her shoulders as she cried. He didn't know what else to do. Neither did she. They were both terrified.

The next morning Branch woke up with Poppy wrapped up in his arms and his hair protecting her. He just lovingly gazed at her restful little face even though the color was gone.  
Don't worry.  
I'll find your happiness.  
He gently squeezed her tighter as his smile broadened so wide it hurt his cheeks. Branch didn't know what the next move would be. Well, he would honestly just run away with her and be free. But he knew she was going to fight. NO TROLL LEFT BEHIND.  
Poppy stretched and opened her eyes. She was still very hurt inside so she didn't smile.  
"Don't worry, Poppy. I'll die to fix this." Branch promised her.  
"I know. But I don't want anyone to die." She answered more flatly.  
He could hear her stomach rumble so he reigned in his hair and let go of her gently. Standing up as she sat there looking up at him he puffed his chest out confidently.  
"My many years of being alone have made me the perfect Troll to be stuck in the woods with. I'll be back with breakfast soon." He stroked back a strand of her hair before walking off.  
She watched him go. Then she gazed down at her grayed hands. My...How the tables have turned this time.

 _ **(I honestly didn't expect this story to turn the way that it has! Really liked this chapter though it may be really disjointed. I felt it as I was writing it though.)**_


	7. They Got Nothing On Me

She couldn't decide whither it was the depression or if he really had just been that fast-but soon Branch had some food cooking over the fire. Some kind of berries he had cut up and suspicious purple meat. He was using an old hollow skull of some random creature to cook it in and a stick to stir it up. She watched silently while he seemed happy. Manic almost. Pumped up with adrenaline.  
While the food simmered over the fire he stripped in front of her. Her eyes widened but as with Trolls, there's nothing to see until they want you to see it. This still didn't stop her soaking up every cyan and cerulean curve of his little masculine body. She was surprised to see he had a leaner shape than most Trolls but he was still sturdy.  
It was a kingly air to the way he had built himself and carried himself.  
He ignored her prying eyes on his nudity as he started sewing together some camouflaged clothing.  
"Branch. Please tell me you're not planning on going on a some suicide mission." Poppy said flatly.  
Branch laughed as he sewed; "A suicide mission? No way. Just a regular mission."  
"That's not funny." She crossed her arms and scowled.  
Branch looked over at her with warmness and love in his face, but also a sadness he couldn't quite hide, and said softly; "It wasn't supposed to be funny."  
Poppy looked away and sighed. Then she decided to lay back down. Branch continued his work on the clothing while she pouted angrily.  
"You asked me last night to keep on fighting. That's what I'm going to do. My many years of studying survival and the Bergen make me the perfect Troll to fix this."  
"We can't win a war!" Poppy nearly shouted.  
Again, Branch smiled and chuckled as he worked. Poppy's heart did a weird little skip when he chuckled. The way the sun caught hold of the indigo of his hair, his purple nose, his smile made her heart feel strange.  
"So who said anything about a war? I'm going to sneak in and have a talk with the King himself."  
"That's too dangerous!" Poppy gasped.  
Branch stopped sewing for a moment and looked over at her. His eyes, so very blue, caught hers.  
"I promise you I will come back to you."  
Poppy felt panicked suddenly and had to stand up. She paced around the fire tugging at her gray hair. Branch watched her and pursed his lips together. He sat her back down and served her up some food in a leaf he fashioned in to a bowl with a little twig for a fork.  
"You'll feel better after you eat." He promised and ran his blue fingers through her hair. Only for a second. But to the both of them it was a very very long second. She ate while he continued on his outfit.

"There's no way to get out to even look for them!" HoneySuckle was absolutely panicked.  
The Queen and Branch were both missing and after what she had gone through with King Gristle she was terrified that they weren't missing...but actually eaten. No one knew what was going on but her, Guy Diamond, and now the snack pack that Guy Diamond had gotten together so they could try to figure something out.  
"We can't just stand around and do nothing!" Biggie puffed out his big chest; "When we need saved Poppy didn't hesitate to come find us!"  
"But every little hole and gate and tunnel wasn't guarded then!" Cooper retaliated.  
HoneySuckle hadn't been maintaining her flowing hair and it had spiked up like a normal Troll's. The color and hue were still the same color and texture but it fluffed about her head as if it may float off any second. Guy Diamond often found himself lost from the current situation just watching her.  
"We have to figure out a way to get out past the guards. They're not even sure why they have to keep us out. I might be small enough to sneak through." The spunky little Smidge offered in her masculine voice.  
"No...we need a plan that can get us all through..." HoneySuckle shook her head.  
They argued and brainstormed for hours.

"Please, end this silly feud you have going on with the Trolls. Poppy is my best friend and now she's missing!" Bridget cried as she followed around Gristle in their bedroom. He refused to listen to her on the matter. Literally pretended she wasn't there. Bridget wished she had Branch and Poppy in her ear to tell her exactly what to say because she was so lost. There was no way to get through to him.

As the sun began to dip beyond the horizon Branch stood up. He had made camouflaged pants and a vest as before. His indigo hair had been reigned in shorter and he had fashioned a backpack with...well Poppy wasn't sure what was in it. Or why he was acting like he was going to leave in the middle of the night.  
She ran to her feet and grabbed on to his arm.  
"No! Branch, you can't do this alone. We couldn't do it alone before. What if I need you here? What if something happens?"  
Branch looked down at her with a half smile and ran his hand across her cheek. Her color may have been gone but he could feel the blush that it bloomed on her cheeks.  
"I'll only be one call away." He said confidently.  
Poppy rolled her eyes so hard her head rolled with them and she let go of his arm. "Stop!"

 ** _(Charlie Puth: One Call Away {Trolls Edit})_**

 _"I'm only one call away. I'll be here to save the day. The Bergen have nothing on me."_ He reached over to her and grabbed hold of her cheeks in a silly way and pressed his nose against hers; _"I'm only one call away."_  
She pulled away and groaned. Threw her hands in the air and let them smack back down to her sides. So frustrated but not knowing what to do she didn't even have words anymore. But Branch did. He smiled and winked at her very flirtatiously.  
 _"Call me baby, if you need a friend. I just wanna give you love. C'mon c'mon c'mon. Reaching out to you...So take a chance."_  
He jumped towards her and wrapped an arm around her lower back and dipped her down so her hair brushed along the dirt. Poppy scowled back in to his beautiful face but all he did was cock an eyebrow teasingly and yanked her back upright. He gently wrapped two fingers around the heart around her neck he had fashioned her.  
 _"No matter where you go you know you're not alone."_  
He let go of the heart and took a few steps away from their camp with Poppy following behind him and attempting to complain but he just sang right over her whining.  
 _"I'm only one call away, I'll be there to save the day. The Bergen got nothing on me! I'm only one call away."_  
Then he stopped again and gently took her in his arms this time. Pulling her wrists towards him and wrapping them around his neck. Poppy would have been glowing from blushing if she hadn't been grayed out. He kept his hands on her wrists and sang down to her playfully.  
 _"Come along with me and don't be scared. I just wanna set you free. C'mon c'mon c'mon. You and me can make it anywhere. But for now, we can stay here for a while."_ He let go of her wrists and she tried to snatch her hands back to her chest while slowly his hands cupped her little face. _"Cause you know, I just wanna see you smile."_  
"Branch we can't just stay here and...and do whatever it is that this is! Something has to be done but you can't do it alone-"  
 _"And when you're weak I'll be strong. I'm gonna keep holding on."_  
"Branch, no..." She started to cry. He just wiped away her tears.  
 _"Now don't you worry, it won't be long. Darling, and when you feel the hope is gone...Just run in to my arms."_  
He got punched in the chest instead of getting hugged with his arms held out. But he took it with a small grunt and then darted off running. She heard the tail end of him singing before she lost all sight and sound of him.  
 _"I'm only one call away. I'll be there to save the day. The Bergen got nothing on me! I'm only one, one call away. I'll be there to save the day. The Bergen got nothing on me! I'm only one call away...!"_  
Poppy just hopelessly plopped on the ground and wiped away her tears angrily. He was going to get himself killed for her. Because she was being so weak! She hated herself at that moment and actually threw herself on the ground and pitched a fit. Complete with screaming, throwing of fists, head, and feet. When she was finished she sat back up all dusty and dirty and watched the moon rise in the direction Branch had run off.

 ** _(Haley ReinHart: Can't Help Falling In Love With You)_**

 _"Wise Troll's say only fools rush in. But I can't help falling in love with you. Oh...Shall I stay? Would it be a sin? Oh...If I can't help...Falling in love with you."_  
Would it really be so bad marrying Branch? He had shown her that he would be an excellent king and loved her unconditionally. She was just so unsure that he wouldn't turn and run. But...Maybe this entire time she had really been afraid of herself turning and running.  
 _"Oh, like a river flows surely to the sea...Darling so it goes...Some things are meant to be..."_  
If he made it back alive she would tell him that they could get married. She could do that. Couldn't she?  
 _"Take my hand. Take my whole life too...Oh...For I can't help falling in love with you."_

 ** _(This one is leading up to what I hope will be a better chapter. Got a lot planned in my head for the next one. But currently in a bout of depression so...I'm very glad some people are enjoying this story! Thank you!)_**


	8. Make Love (Lemon)

The snack-pack, including HoneySuckle, were blending in along their path. Quietly and as quickly as they could without drawing attention they made their way to the single Bergen Guarding the front gate to Bergen-town.  
One would think it would be easy for the little camo Trolls to be able to just slip right on by the Bergen. But Bergen were a little more keen than that. Especially when they were expecting to look out for Trolls. Being in such close proximity made the Bergen more able to smell them as compensation for the Trolls hiding abilities.  
Stop. Still. Watch. Go. Stop.  
It seemed to take them hours to get near his feet without him noticing. The Bergen was standing there looking bored to tears. He was actually leaning on his staff and making weird farting noises to himself. Maybe he was trying to teach himself how to hum?  
Anyway.  
HoneySuckle clicked her tongue which signaled Smidge. She may be the smallest but her hair was the strongest. She whipped out her hair and wrapped it around one of his ankles. As he was looking down to his foot she and her friends pulled her back and tried to trip the Bergen. His leg was pulled up quite a ways but not enough to even stumble.  
"Hey! What are you little Trolls doing!?" He asked in a shocked voice.  
The group panicked, and as they did, they lost their blending ability and they stood there in front of the guard. Slowly he put his foot back down and Smidge reigned back in her blue hair.  
"Sorry." She croaked.  
"That's alright little one." The guard assured. "I would gladly let you all out but the King has ordered we not let any Trolls free."  
"But did he tell you why?" HoneySuckle pleaded.  
"No. He gave no reasons." The guard said matter of factly.  
"Then I'll tell you why!" She was furious; "It's because Gristle scared Poppy and Branch away! Now they're lost in the forest and we have no one to go out and look for them! They could be seriously hurt!"  
Guy Diamond placed his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her to try to calm her down. Making a scene wouldn't help any of them.  
"Be that as it may." The guard said very sadly; "I have my orders. Besides..." He knelt down to one knee with some effort and said almost in a fatherly way-"If I were to let you passed me regardless, that would be on my conscious. Because if two Trolls aren't safe in the forest then you wouldn't be either. They'll come back. Trust." He stuck out his gnarled clawed finger towards HoneySuckle.  
She smacked it away and sobbed as she turned and ran off.  
"Sorry." The Bergen seemed very very sad. But he pulled himself back up with the help of his staff and watched as the snack pack walked back to the Troll Tree. Defeated. Deflated.  
What none of them noticed was the Troll already along the wall and watching the entire scene unfold.  
Branch's hiding ability was next to none. He debated dropping down to talk to the guard but then decided against it. It would also just cause a big ruckus to show himself to Honey if she was already this upset about the situation. But listening to what she told the Bergen made him ponder. Perhaps none of them knew the conditions the King had tried to force?  
He ran along the wall silently until he made his way to the castle. Scaled the wall with help of his blended in hair. No one noticed a thing.  
He landed on the windowsill of Gristle's room. Blue eyes scanned the room and realized the King and his Barnabas were gone. Bridget was on the bed crying.  
Gosh, did that bring back memories.  
He hopped off the window sill and climbed up the bed beside her head.  
"Bridget."  
Bridget squealed and almost fell off the bed. But when she realized it was Branch she cried even harder as she scooped him up and almost crushed him to death in a hug.  
"You're...crushing...me..."  
"Oh! Oh I'm so sorry!" Bridget let him plop to the mattress as he sucked in air.  
When he got enough oxygen he stood up and looked up at the Bergen that had saved all of their lives that night. Bridget and Poppy were the saviors of both races and they had no idea how wonderful they were. Branch smiled up at her happy but sorrow swollen face.  
"I'm here to try to fix this, Bridget."  
"But how. I can't even fix this. He won't listen to me."  
"Then fix it without words. Let me do the talking."  
"But...but how is it fixing it without words if you do the talking..." Bridget trailed off.  
Branch was prepared for this. He had rehearsed it the entire way here. It didn't make it any less gross or awkward though.  
"Have you...and Gristle...Uhm...Made love?" Branch tested the waters.  
Bridget nodded her head enthusiastically which shattered Branch's idea until she said; "Oh yes! Every time we hug and look at each other it makes a lot of love between us!"  
Branch chuckled awkwardly and motioned with his hands in a motion for her to stop; "No, no no no...Uhm...How do Bergen...Make baby Bergen?"  
Bridget thought about it for a moment and looked at him as if he had gone completely mental. But then she said; "We mate." With an uninterested shrug.  
"There's no feelings when you do it? It doesn't feel good? Make you closer to the one you're doing it with?" Branch kind of bombarded her with the questions because he couldn't believe it. He knew the Bergen hadn't known happiness until Poppy taught it to them but DAMN.  
"No. It's just to make a baby. Like washing clothes or doing dishes..." She furrowed her unobrow trying to figure his reasoning. Branch took hold on one of her fingers and looked up at her lovingly.  
"Oh, but there's another way. If you do it the way I explain it to you with Gristle-he will listen to you. He will love you more."  
Bridget was all for making Gristle happy and love her more. Plus if it helped Poppy and Branch in the process it was a no lose situation in her eyes.  
"So what do I do?"

When he realized he couldn't explain it to her without her understanding Branch knew he needed help. So he snuck out of the castle and to the Troll tree. There was only one Troll he could trust with the mission of how to teach Bridget to tame Gristle's heart in the bedroom.  
When he nonchalantly walked in to the room where everyone was sitting he immediately got tackled with a smashing HoneySuckle straight to the chest. It knocked him back and when his back smashed to the floor it knocked the wind right out of him. But Honey clung to him as if she believed he had walked out of the grave to come back to her.  
Guy Diamond got pissed at the show of affection and ground his teeth.  
Cooper and Biggie had to pry Honey off of Branch and help him up. But it was some time before he could speak after catching his breath.  
"Everything is trying to smother me tonight!" He hacked.  
"Branch! Where's Poppy!" She cried.  
"Everyone calm down. Poppy is fine. She's safe in the forest. But I need your help." He turned to Honey and said it straight in to her hazel eyes.  
"Anything." She promised breathlessly.  
Branch rubbed a palm across his mouth and gazed over at Guy Diamond. "I'll need you too."

Back in the bedroom...Branch, HoneySuckle and Guy Diamond were in the bedroom with Bridget. On the bed with her sitting on the ground but watching closely. It was all so awkward to Branch he felt his stomach in knots-but he didn't know how else to save the kingdom- and win the fight that Poppy needed him to.  
"Okay. Honey and Guy are going to teach you what to do to Gristle. They're going to show you what it is to make love."  
"You're making me watch Trolls _mate_?" She said with disgust.  
"No no no... _Make love_...It's different..." Branch said; "Just watch."

 ** _(Keri Hilson: Make Love)_**

All three of the Trolls started singing. It was lovely and beautiful and brought a cute little smile on Bridget's face.  
 **All:** _"Love love love...Love love love...love love love...Oh baby, oh oh, oh baby...Love love love...love love love...Love...Love...Oh baby, oh baby."_  
Branch stood back and let Honey take over. She walked up to Guy Diamond and ran her hands down his chest seductively while singing;  
 _"Tonight we're gonna do something different, tonight we're gonna touch a little different."_  
She pushed him down gently so that he laid on his back and she ran her hands up his legs, where suddenly without Bridget realizing it, was a little erect penis complete with the glitter that covered the rest of him. Branch blushed fiercely and turned away out of respect. He trusted Honey to do the rest without his audience. She continued to run her hands up his chest until she was laying on top of him, face to face, still singing seductively;  
 _"I'm gonna wait on you hand and foot, like the king you are baby, just lay back and I'll show you the way. Cause tonight we're gonna kiss a little different."_  
First she kissed him slowly. Their mouth's worked in tandem and got more fervent after a few minutes. They both were a bit breathless when she pulled away to continue her song;  
 _"I'm gonna make your body feel a little different. I hope you're ready...ready...ready. Ready for love. Oh cause we goin to make."_  
She pulled herself up to straddle him. Gently and confidently she reached down and grabbed a hold of Guy Diamond's erection and raised it up.  
Bridget thought she might spontaneously combust from blushing but she forced herself to watch all of it. Branch still had his back turned from the scene.  
Slowly, slowly, she eased him inside of her. Her eyes closed a little tighter than she wanted and Guy Diamond bit his lip as his hands found her hips to help guide her down slowly. She was so young and tight around him that together, they could feel each others pulse. When she reached the base she opened her eyes and smiled almost in an intoxicating way down at him. He grinned back up at her.  
 **All Trolls:** _"Love love love...Love love love...Love love love...Oh baby, oh oh, oh baby. Love...love...love...love love love...Love, love, Oh baby...oh baby."_  
HoneySuckle had started to raise herself up on her knees and then slide back down. Slowly and without rhythm at first. It was Guy Diamond with his hands on her hips that set the pace and found the rhythm. He started to sweat and sparkle as if brand new. HoneySuckle's head lolled back but she had to finish the lesson;  
 _"I see it in your eyes that you're surprised now, I'm gonna put this thing on you, I'll blow your mind out. And just watch how your body shake. Don't stop it, just let it shake, I'll control your body tonight."_  
They were in to it now. For every time she let herself fall on him he raised his hips up against her to get deeper. They were panting together when she had to lean down and brace herself against his shoulders. Guy Diamond chuckled breathlessly. She finished the song only with the greatest effort-it came out more like moaning;  
 _"Cause I know nobody ever touch ya body like me and what I done to ya baby, I'll promise you'll never leave, Cause you wouldn't know what to do with yourself after one night with me."_  
Forgetting the purpose of what they were doing, Guy Diamond growled and flipped HoneySuckle to her back. She yelped pleasantly and wrapped her pale yellow legs around his glittering waist. Branch could hear the exchange but wished he couldn't. It was for the right cause though...  
Guy Diamond rolled his hips in to HoneySuckle's slowly at first. But as her moans got louder and turned to screams their hair intertwined and they both started to cry out. Their pace quickened starkly and then suddenly they slowly stopped...  
Branch finally turned around and cleared his throat. Consciously not looking at his two friends that just got it on in front of a Bergen.  
"So, that's what you have to do to Gristle. But first...Let me talk to him alone."

Branch actually found Gristle sitting on the throne. He had Bridget walk in too and attempt to absently fiddle around the room. Set things around, clean, stare at a painting. Whatever kept her in the room so that Gristle could see her.  
Then here pops Branch out of nowhere to land on Gristle's shoulder. The king screamed and grabbed hold of Branch in his hand. Squeezing the air out of him.  
"Does she know you love her?" Branch almost squeaked.  
" _What_?" Gristle asked while loosening his grip just enough for the Troll to breathe.  
"Does Bridget know how much you love her?" Branch asked again.  
"Of...Of course!" Gristle said, unsure, confused.  
He let Branch slide out of his hand and walk up to his shoulder. There the little Troll sat on the kings shoulder and wasted no time. He just sang a song that he hoped would open up the King's heart.

 ** _(Garth Brooks: If Tomorrow Never Comes {My Trolls Edit})_**

 _"Sometimes late at night do you lie awake and watch her sleeping? She's lost in peaceful dreams so you turn down the lights and lay there in the dark._  
 _What if the thought crosses your mind...If you never wake up in the morning...Would she ever doubt the way you feel about her in your heart."_  
The king gasped audibly and his eyes darted straight over to Bridget who was pretending not to realize what was going on right on the throne.  
 _"If tomorrow never comes. Will she know how much you loved her? Did you try in every way to show her every day that she's your only one? And if your time on earth were through and she must face this world without you, is the love you gave her in the past gonna be enough to last if tomorrow never comes?"_  
"Branch...I...I had no idea...These things never crossed my mind at all...I feel...Hurt...For her." Gristle sniffled.  
Branch nodded his head and offered his own pain;  
 _"Cause I've lost loved ones in my life who never knew how much I loved them. Now I live with the regret that my true feelings for them never were revealed. So I made a promise to myself, to say each day how much Poppy means to me, and avoid that circumstance where there's no second chance to tell her how I feel._  
 _Cause if tomorrow never comes. Will she know how much you loved her? Did you try in every way to show her every day that she's your only one? And if your time on earth is through, and she must face this world without you. Is the love you gave her in the past gonna be enough to last if tomorrow never comes?"_  
"I'm going to fix this, Branch. Thank you for opening my eyes. You need to go find Poppy and tell her I take back my request. I'm sorry that I ever did that to my two dearest friends." Gristle's eyes were full of tears.  
So were Branch's as he finished the song with a sniffle;  
 _"So tell that someone that you love just what you're thinking of if tomorrow never comes."_  
"Bridget!" Gristle called out to his love and ran up to her while Branch hopped off of his shoulder. He grinned as he ran back out of the castle and made his way back to Poppy to tell her the news.

 ** _(FINALLY THE LEMON AMIRIGHT? It just wasn't the lemon you wanted! But I figured it would be easier on the imagination that Gristle and Bridget umping bglies.)_**


	9. You're My Best Friend

Poppy sat up all that night worrying. The only thing that temporarily kept her mind off of Branch was when she put more sticks in to the fire that Branch had already made a pile of.  
She paced. She pulled her hair. She cried and curled up on the ground believing she would never see him again. It was all her fault. He was gone. Dead. Eaten. Worse.  
What did it sound like when his little bones were being crunched between Gristle's nasty teeth? Was his death quick or did he linger in agony calling out for her help and name?  
"Oh, what have I done? _Branch_." She wailed and nearly rolled back and forth in her sorrow and anxiety.  
Finally her anxiety, though killing her insides, won the battle and she passed out as the first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon.  
This is when Branch returned with a grin so wide on his face it made his cheeks and lips hurt. But it was a good hurt. He was so full of pride and happiness that he couldn't wait to tell Poppy the news.  
The news.  
He stopped and furrowed his brows as he slowed towards their camp.  
The news that she didn't have to marry him.  
Before he got entirely to their camp he had to have a little sit down with himself. Could he continue on as her Prime Minster knowing that she could never love him the way that he loved her? Could he bare to be around her if he gave up his status but if she still didn't want him? Could he go off on his own again and be able to never see her again.  
He took in a sharp gasp and tugged at his dark hair. Sure, he fixed the situation. Everyone was happy and friendly again. Poppy would get what she wanted. But she always got what she wanted...  
 _What about him?_  
Did he have the heart to go up to her while she was still gray and tell her that he couldn't help her anymore but 'here you go, I fixed all the shit I fucked up, have a nice life' and then leave? He didn't think he did.  
For the first time in a great while he just didn't know what the fuck to do one way or the other. He rubbed his grubby hands roughly against his tired face and decided to take a quick nap. Poppy was safe regardless so it was okay if he caught an hour or two...After all he had been nearly crushed on a few occasions the previous night.  
Poppy woke up first and when she realized Branch wasn't back yet she started to sob and have a panic attack. Her heart was burning and her lungs ached so bad she thought she might fall over dead. When she tried to call out to him she didn't have a voice. Didn't have the air to suck in to make anything other than frantic whimpers. When she tried to run in the direction he had left the previous night her legs were full of rocks and she could barely move. But she forced herself to stagger as far as she could. And to her horror she found Branch sprawled out on the ground. She covered her mouth and screamed almost inaudibly as she crawled over to him and collapsed on top of him sobbing for all she was worth. Her little body quaked and shook like a leaf in a hurricane.  
Branch woke up instantly as she crashed on top of him with an oomfh and wrapped his arms around her; "Poppy! Poppy it's all okay! What happened!? Are you okay? Did something hurt you?"  
He had sat up with her in his arms and she just shook her head and clung to him like a baby to their mother. So he just held her more tightly than he ever had before and tried to soak her very essence in to himself. There was no way he could go on like this with her in his life and not have anymore than this.  
He just loved her way too fucking much.  
"Poppy just listen okay. You don't have to say anything. Just listen."  
The way he was squeezing her so tight kind of hurt. But it was a hurt she didn't want to stop. She nodded her head deeply in to his chest and sucked in his scent with every frantic gasp. Her hands clasped on to his clothes as if she loosened her grip even a fraction that he would disappear.  
"I made Gristle realize he can't make anyone get married. Let alone us. So you don't have to marry me. You're free. The Trolls and the Bergen are still friendly. The guards have been taken down and he promised me everything was the way it was before."  
It took him some fighting but he finally managed to force her to look up in to his face. Gasping and sobbing and hiccuping as she was.  
"But I have to _thank you._ "  
She was completely confused.

 _ **(Jason Mraz: My Best Friend)**_

 _"Love is where this begins. Thank you for letting me in."_  
He let go of her face and sat back. She watched him with her grimy tear streaked gray little face and listened.  
 _"I've never had to pretend, you've always known who I am. And I know my life is better because you're apart of it. I know without you by my side that I would be different."_  
He was gently holding her hands now though she was straddling his lap and his legs were spread up underneath her.  
 _"Thank you for all of your trust. Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for holding my hand. I've always known where you stand."_  
"B-but B-B-Branch -I" She tried to stutter.  
Branch shook his head.  
 _"Yes I feel my life is better, so is the world we're living in. I'm thankful for the time I spent with my best friend."_  
He watched, as for some reason he couldn't explain, her face fell even more.  
 _"Thank you for calling me out. Thank you for waking me up. Thank you for breaking it down. Thank you for choosing us. Thank you for all you're about. Thank you for lifting me up. Thank you for keeping me grounded, and being here now and I know my life is better because you're a part of it. Yes I know without you by my side that I would be different. Yes I feel my life is better and so is the world we're living in. I'm thankful for the time I spent, with my best friend."_  
"Branch you don't understand..."  
 _"You're my best friend."_  
"Branch." Hopelessly she whimpered.  
He moved his hand from hers and brushed the back of his knuckles along her cheek.  
"I know you don't want to marry me. For all I truly know you don't want to marry anyone. You don't need to. You're strong enough on your own. I'm eternally grateful for what you've done for me and I'm done pressuring you. But, Poppy."  
His face twisted sadly. As he said it he felt as if he were stabbing himself in the heart. But he ultimately had to do what would make her happy. Even if it killed himself in the end.  
"I'll help you get back to the Troll Tree. We have a few days. They don't mind even if you miss the wedding. But..Once we're there...Poppy...I can't be around you anymore."  
" _WHY!?_ " She screamed.  
"Because _I love you_. The day isn't the day until I see you. The night is nothing but cold and loneliness with your spirit haunting my soul. Food doesn't have a taste unless you're near me. Flowers don't have a smell as sweet as you ever will smell. I'm not the Branch you've made me when I'm away from you."  
"Why is that bad?" She whispered.  
"Because you don't feel the same way. It's wrong of me to try to make you feel the same way or assume you feel the same way. I know you love me, because you love everyone, you're wonderful in that way. But I love you above everything. I love you more than myself. Poppy, if you asked me to die right here in your arms I'd do my damndest to try."  
"So why can't you just stay with me? If you're happier around me, then, Branch... _Stay._ " She pleaded.  
"I can't. I just can't." He shook his head.  
For a long time they just stared at each other. Their hearts were beating so hard that they hurt. They each wanted to placate the other and make the other feel better. But they were stuck. Branch wouldn't stay because she didn't love him. Poppy wouldn't beg him to stay even though she did love him, because now, he was only going to think she was saying it to try to make him feel better. There was no way she could go on with her life and drag him through his with him feeling guilty or having that doubt shadowing him.  
"One more night in camp, and then start the journey back?" Branch broke the agonizing silence.  
"Yeah...That sounds good."  
She was still straddling him. Of her own accord she grabbed his face in her hands and made him stay still. Slowly she examined every feature. Each tired and worried line in his face. The slight purple blush on his cheeks. Those sweet little glitters. The random purple of his wide nose. He was so beautiful to her in a way she had no words to express. Branch was so good with words when she fell flat.  
Branch on the other hand was feeling something else. Though the color from her face was gone the intensity in which she was staring at him had him thinking of the night before. The thought of them making love instead of Honey and Guy. He could feel things start to happen that he knew she definitely didn't want to happen. Quickly he shook his head out of her little hands and wiggled his legs out from underneath her. She had been so warm where she had been sitting on him. When he stood up he cleared his throat and tried to make sure he stayed default-not showing that he was starting to feel a little more than love in the moment.  
"Why can't I just look at you, Branch?" Poppy asked him so sadly from the ground.  
 _Because you might get a little more than you're asking for._ Was what he wanted to say. Instead he bit his lip and looked around. "Well, uhm, because we should find something to eat?"  
She looked down at her tattered dress above her knees and her dirty little hands. Poppy only nodded to his finding food and soon he was off to cool down. But to Poppy he was just simply running away again.

"Shouldn't we really be out there looking for them?" HoneySuckle pleaded with Guy Diamond.  
"No, we shouldn't. Branch showed us both that he's more than capable of handling this all on his own."  
"But he shouldn't _have_ to." She whined.  
Guy Diamond sighed and nodded his head sideways; "Even so. He and Poppy need some more time alone I think."  
" _Why_?" She just didn't get it.  
"I think because, well, we know how much he loves her. But I'm not sure Poppy feels the same way. He'll probably try to see how she feels about him before bringing her back."  
"Then he'll be gone for good." HoneySuckle sank to the ground.  
"Most likely, yeah. He won't stick around."

Breakfast turned to a silent lunch. At first they sat across the fire from each other. But Poppy decided to stand up and walk around it, to sit beside Branch, leg to leg.  
"What are you doing? Are you cold?" Branch asked.  
"No. I just want to be close to you." She said simply. Almost like her old self again.  
Branch had a twinge but he kept himself together and continued to eat his food. Maybe he paid a little too much attention to the food. Poppy didn't find it quite as appealing as Branch was scarfing it down.  
"It's not a race." She actually giggled.  
The giggle killed him a little inside and he all the sudden lost his appetite. He tossed the leaf in to the fire and brushed his hands on his upturned knees; "Yeah, guess you're right."  
"I didn't mean to make you stop eating..." She felt guilty.  
"I know. I was full anyway and just didn't want to waste it. But there's plenty of stuff around here. No point in keeping what will go bad."  
He went to stand up but Poppy dropped her own food to the ground and grabbed his wrist with both of her hands.  
"Hug me... _please_." She asked.  
Branch swallowed a lump in his throat but he hugged her as she asked. But this embrace was different to Poppy. She could tell he was holding himself back. How was she ever going to get through to him? Could she at this point?

 _ **(DUN DUN DUNNNNN. So what do you guys think? I think we're reaching the end of the story honestly. Was debating with myself weither I want to make a sequel...But...I don't think enough people like it to bother?)**_


	10. I'm Not Afraid Anymore

In Bergen Town the festivities were beginning once more. Once the Bergen guards had been removed and the Trolls no longer felt threatened the parties went on without a hitch. But to those that loved Poppy, which was everyone, and Branch...They were worried why they weren't there. Guy Diamond and HoneySuckle had to come up with a story that they needed time alone and would make it back the day of the wedding.  
But would they? HoneySuckle worried so badly that she just stopped doing her hair entirely. It was still fluffy but she looked normal now, except the color, and she wore a plain white dress that went above her knees. Of course no one cared what she wore she was only the Prime Minister's assistant-but Guy worried.  
At dinner that evening with the Bergen he made sure he held her hand the entire time just to let her know she wasn't alone and that no matter what happened they would make it through.

Another day. Branch with color and Poppy grayed out.  
"I need a bath." Poppy said first thing as they woke up.  
Branch scoffed and looked around; "And how are we going to do that?"  
Poppy scowled right back at him.  
"I don't know! You're the expert! Figure it out!"  
"Is that a challenge?" Branch cocked his eyebrows teasingly.  
Poppy growled and pushed him with both palms square on his chest. He just laughed and took a step back. But he took that as, yes, it was a challenge.  
"I actually _do_ know how you could take a bath. But you're gonna have to follow me and leave this camp you've been staying in for the past few days."  
He started walking in a random direction. Poppy wanted to ask, but she knew he wouldn't answer her. But the whole scenario reminded her of their first journey together. Branch was always the one leading the way. He would make a good king with his leading abilities. Well...He just had more abilities than her the entire way around. Poppy hugged herself as she walked slowly behind him and thought about when she got home how she was never going to see him again. It didn't seem to be bothering him that he confessed he'd die for her but he was going to run away. She wished fervently that if she were to tell him how much she loved him that he would believe her.  
Poppy was so lost in thought she bumped her face in to his back because he had stopped.  
"Walk much?" He teased without turning around.  
"Shut up, Branch." Poppy mumbled and rubbed her hurt little nose. She took a step back.  
Branch started to strip off his camouflaged clothes he had made to sneak in to Bergen town. Just pulled them off as if she weren't behind him and watching him. But then she pulled her head back incredulously; "Uh, Branch. I said _I_ needed a bath. _What_ are you doing?"  
When he turned to look behind him at her her heart melted. The sun had broken through the canopy in such a way it almost made a little spotlight over him. It caught the very brightness of his skin and she had to blink from being dazzled from the glittery freckles he had on his cheeks.  
"I'm dirty too." He said in such a voice. Old Branch's voice. Like... _duh_...  
Poppy gritted her teeth and pushed him in the little puddle/pond he had led them too. He yelped in surprise but couldn't turn around fast enough to grab her and whip her down with him. As soon as he splashed under the water he was back up, drenched, and scooped up an armful to splash her standing on the shore. Poppy wasn't expecting it and actually gulped in a lungful. As she stood hunched over and hacking out a lung Branch just laughed.  
She never heard him laugh like that.  
It was full. Straight from the soul. Loud and somewhat deep compared to his singing voice. She wanted to revel in it, but you know, dying kind of stops you from appreciating the moment entirely.  
The sun was dappling through the canopy overhead. It made golden rays across their little puddle/pond and sparkled where it touched. Branch swam to the other side to a bush with some very sparkly berries on them of every color. By the time Poppy was done catching her breath she seen he was standing in the middle of the pond with a purple and a red berry in each hand. Each berry she would have had to hold with both of her hands, but one berry fit in his, just so.  
"Why are you standing there? I'll wait until you're done." Poppy plopped down sopping wet right on the shore. It made a gross farting noise when she did. But she crossed her arms and refused to not even smirk.  
Branch was doing more than just smirking. He was grinning. That grin was like a fishing lure she was fighting not to bite. It just looked so tasty...  
"So you're going to wait until I'm done but watch me? Do I get to watch you when I'm done?" He asked.  
Poppy gasped and would have hit him but he was too far away. This made him laugh again.  
"Just take off that old dress and get in the water. You know I'm not going to see anything you don't want me to. I'll even close my eyes if you _really_ want me to." He promised in a more gentle tone this time.  
Poppy thought about it for a long time. But then she stood up very slowly and just as slowly took off the dress. It pooled at her feet.  
 _Calm down calm down calm down._ Branch's mind started to race and sweat popped out on his forehead. He was grateful he was already soaked and could lie and say it wasn't sweat.  
 _Keep it together...You don't see anything...Hahah! Yeah right!_  
She walked in to the puddle/pond slowly and waded her way up to him. The water was just under his chest so that it was just over hers. She got close enough to him without speaking so that he handed her one of the berries. But she was nervous and dropped it in the water. All of the sudden the little purple berry almost exploded silently with purple fizzing glitter all around them. Branch was grateful for the distraction and dropped the red berry in the water too where it gave off the same reaction.  
"What in the world are these things?" Poppy asked as she watched the water turn in to sparkling fizziness.  
"I call them soap berries, but you're not supposed to drop them in the water."  
"I...can see why." She said as she continued to watch.  
Branch chuckled as he watched her head whip all around to catch the colors popping up and mixing with the golden rays that shone through the leaves. He scooped up a handful of fuzz and started to wash himself with it. When she realized he was doing it she started to too. But then she narrowed her eyes at him. Branch stopped in mid wash of an arm pit and didn't move. Did she see something dangerous behind him? Nope. She just wanted to splash him with the fizzy water like he had gotten her on the shore. Poppy roared with laughter as Branch looked more like a fluffy soap monster than a Troll.  
"Oh you think that's funny, do ya!?" He growled and splashed her back.  
This started a splashing fight between them that pretty much got them clean. It was cleansing to the spirit too to hear each other laugh and think of just the moment. Not before, not later, but just right then and having fun with one another. It went on for a long time until their arms were tired. They stopped splashing and just looked at each other with smiles on their faces.

 ** _(He Is We: I Wouldn't Mind)_**

Poppy started to sing cheerily, but still with a lingering sadness to her voice. She waded up to Branch and caught his hands, running her palms along the back of them and up his arms, to rest on his shoulders. Her face raised up to look in to his questioning eyes.  
 _"Merrily we fall out of line, out of line. I'd fall anywhere with you. I'm by your side."_  
Some little woodland creature overhead made a leap and shook the branches directly over them. It loosened the dew from the leaves and covered them in a misty almost rain. Her palms went to his shoulders to his cheeks and cupped them cutely.  
 _"Swinging in the rain, humming melodies, we're not going anywhere until we freeze."_  
She stopped singing for a minute. One long, agonizing minute. Branch was breathing quickly but he kept his own hands under the water by his sides. His breath caught in his throat and stopped as she pressed her grayed little body against his and their noses just a breath away.  
 _"I'm not afraid, anymore. I'm not afraid."_  
Branch yelped when suddenly Poppy's color burst straight out of her in to a shining pink ray that engulfed the both of them.  
"Poppy!" Branch laughed in disbelief as he wrapped his arms around her waist under the water.  
She smiled shyly and wrapped one of her arms around his back and the other palm still on his cheek.  
 _"Forever is a long time. But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side."_  
"What are you saying?" Branch was afraid to whisper.  
"I love you too, Branch. I do want to be with you. Not because the Bergen threatened us or because of any other reason. Just because...I love you..."  
Branch's jaw gaped open as her color saturated back in to her own self. For a moment he forgot where he was and what he was doing because his brain couldn't comprehend what he just heard. Poppy giggled sweetly in to his face and pulled away from him. Swimming a little bit a ways as he watched gobsmacked.  
 _"Carefully we'll place for our destiny. You came and you took this heart and set it free."_  
He swam up to her with his jaw finally finding it's rightful place. His arms wrapped around her again, but this time they were shaking. Poppy pressed up against him again and rested her little chin on his chest. He was looking down at her as she continued.  
 _"Every word you write or sing is so warm to me...so warm to me...I'm torn, I'm torn to be right where you are."_  
Branch's eyes were glistening and she could feel the way he was sucking in breaths that he was trying not to cry. She stood on her tiptoes on the soggy ground beneath them and pressed her face against his. Finally their lips met, but just briefly, because she wanted him to know...  
 _"I'm not afraid, anymore. I'm not afraid. Forever is a long time, but I wouldn't mind spending it by your side."_  
Branch was openly crying now, but they were tears of joy. The frustration and the fear and all of the overwhelming feelings he had been suffering with had been released. He clung to her and refused to let her go.  
 _"Tell me every day I get to wake up to that smile. I wouldn't mind it...at all...I wouldn't mind it...At all."_  
She brushed his tears off of his cheeks but as soon as she did more rushed down. It was okay.  
 _"You so know me...Pinch me gently...I can hardly breathe..."_  
They kissed again. Branch was finding it hard to stop mildly hyperventilating but he would be damned if he pulled away first. He ran his shaking hand down her back and pressed her lower back up against him. Her head dipped back and he deepened their kiss slowly. Poppy's arms clung around his shoulders so that she didn't fall back in to the water. Oh, but Branch had her. He wouldn't ever let her go now. They both could feel that they were getting ready to show what Trolls normally don't...When Poppy broke the kiss and just looked up at him with all the love in the world in her face.  
 _"Forever is a long, long time. But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side. Tell me every day I get to wake up to that smile. I wouldn't mind it...at all...I wouldn't mind it...at all."_

"Face it, HoneySuckle. If Poppy isn't coming back you've been standing in for her all week. You need a dress for the wedding. You can't just wear any old rag." Chenille scoffed. Satin clucked her tongue and agreed. Normally HoneySuckle would have been flattered to be fussed over but she just couldn't muster the happiness that she normally felt. Her worry for the queen and her friend, Branch, wouldn't let her just be happy. But she did what she knew Poppy would do. She let them make her a dress. It was white and shaped like a flower swishing at her feet. Sure, white sounded plain but with her beautiful hair and her beau-Guy Diamond-she would definitely stand out. She wasn't meant to outshine Bridget in any case.  
She looked at their handiwork in the mirror without a smile but started to practice what one would look like for the big day.  
"There we go." "That's a girl!" The twins praised her.

 ** _(There may be one or more until the end guys!)_**


	11. Our Happy Ending

A week had passed. For a lot of the Trolls that were really in to the daily parties it went fast. On the other side of the coin everyone that was worried for the Queen the week dragged on. Guy Diamond, sort of took the place of the Queen, and was very strong and sure that they should not be looked for. When this started to create rumors that he was trying to steal the throne he promised they would go look for them immediately after the Bergen's wedding had ended. This placated the Trolls enough to enjoy the rest of the week.  
HoneySuckle did her very best. She was very good at acting and being polite and stern when she needed to be, but she simply would not have been able to do it without Guy Diamond. HoneySuckle was the face while Guy Diamond was the backbone.  
Bridget worried incessantly about Poppy until she noticed Gristle started to get irritated again. She put on her best acting skills which thankfully were enough to fool him. The day of the wedding she, however, was very weepy. But no one thought it was strange. Anyone would cry with happiness marrying their lover and even better a king.

The throne room had been decorated. Pews for the Trolls were hung from the ceiling to be just a head above each Bergen Pew. This way everyone had a view of the King and his new Bride when it started. The center had been lined with a velvety red carpet. Glowing flowers, courtesy of the Trolls, had been added all around on dainty little threads from the ceiling as well. There were so many of them that there wasn't a need for any torches or fire to see. It added a depth and sincerity to the room that otherwise it didn't posses.  
At an alter in front of the kings throne was an older Bergen. Obviously the one that would entwine them in holy and royal matrimony. Behind him, beside the kings throne, another chair had been added. It was painted daintily in pink and white and obviously would be where the new Queen would be seated.  
Off to the side a rather large choir of Trolls - and a few brave Bergen - were to sing when the King and Queen entered in lue of music played on instruments.  
HoneySuckle and Guy Diamond were seated on the armrest of the first pew for the Bergen. The Bergen that got to sit beside them kept puffing out his chest and bobbing his head. Gloating that he got to sit beside the sit-in-Queen and her suitor. The funny thing about that was that there were actually other Bergen that had their arms crossed and looked grouchy that they hadn't been seated there.  
With the three Bergen in the choir starting a deep, reverberating, beat in the corner and stomping their staffs against the ground the room fell silent. The Trolls joined in with their lovelier and more controlled voices with a kingly aire. Everyone in the throne room turned to the main entrance and waited for King Gristle to step through.  
He did. Looking as self-assured and kingly as ever. Standing straight with his chest puffed out and his head held high. The golden crown on his head had been remade to be bigger than the dinky one he wore before. He was dressed all in black with a long flowing cape in purple velvet trailing behind him. The cape was lined in suspicious indigo fuzz-and some Trolls in the pew interrupted the music to talk amongst themselves. They were ignored as the king strutted up between the pews to stop in front of the older Bergen at the alter. When he stopped he turned to face the entrance with his hands behind his back. His cape had covered one shoulder and stood a little in front of him as he didn't swish it behind him as he stopped.  
The choir fell silent. The Trolls in the choir nodded their agreement and gave thumbs up to the Bergen in the choir who were worried that they hadn't done it well enough. The Bergen looked so relieved and proud of themselves that one even had to wipe away a tear from his ugly eye.  
"The Bergen about to enter is meant to be your Queen. To rule over The Bergen beside you and to be your consort in every day matters. Do you agree to this?" The older Bergen asked Gristle.  
"I do, sir, _indeed_ I do." Gristle stood on his tiptoes momentarily as he said 'indeed'.  
HoneySuckle and Guy Diamond looked at each other with weird expressions on their faces. Bergen weddings weren't very...loving...were they? HoneySuckle wrinkled her nose at Guy Diamond but then straightened her face and continued to look forward. Guy Diamond returned her look with pursed lips and slightly raised brows before he also did the same.  
The Trolls in the choir began singing this time. A beautiful and very love-filled tune. Their Bergen counterparts once more added bass. But it was more quiet this time. More of a hum than the almost marching line they had started with for the king. Everyone turned back to the entrance to see the soon-to-be Queen of the Bergen enter the room.  
The doors opened politely with two guards in regalia and everyone gasped as they caught their first glimpses at Bridget in her dress. It was long and wispy. She looked like a little pastel cloud - thanks to Satin and Chenille stepping in to help - that even when she began to move her veil and sleeves and random parts of the dress bobbed about her. Like fog, like petals, like the fluff of a baby Troll's hair. It was colored the same pattern that they had made her hair complete with random sparkles. The glitter and sparkles were holographic and caught every random color of the glowing flowers and seemed to make herself glow as she walked nervously down through the pews.  
At the alter Gristle forgot his kingly pose and started slouching forward with his eyes popping out of his head. His mouth was gaping open too. HoneySuckle had turned and noticed his expression first and elbowed Guy Diamond from Bridget to look at the king. They both giggled with their hands covering their mouth's but quickly quieted down. Their mirth was completely drowned out by the aw's and exclamations of how beautiful her dress was.  
Bridget slowly made her way to the alter beside Gristle and turned around with her hands behind her back as well. This was odd to the Trolls but the Bergen didn't seem bothered. Without looking at her or her at him the older Bergen asked Bridget;  
"Female Bergen of the name Bridget. The king has asked that you marry him and be Queen of all Bergen by his side. Do you accept his proposal and accept your new title?"  
"Y-yes? I do." Bridget stuttered as her body quaked nervously.  
Now what did surprise the Bergen was that Gristle turned to look at her and noticed how scared she was. He turned to face her full on and grabbed her nearest hand in his. Bridget's head darted to look at him fearfully but when she seen his calm expression she turned to face him too. Her hands were held in to his and they looked at each other so deeply that, to them, no one else was even in the room.  
HoneySuckle's hand subsequently found Guy Diamond's who squeezed it reassuringly.  
"Then I present to you all present the King and new Queen Bridget." The older Bergen said without much enthusiasm. As if he said the clothes on the line were dry.  
The Trolls began to cheer and dance around and bop down from their swinging pews on to Bergens heads and shoulders. This in turn excited the Bergen and soon everyone was standing and cheering. Applauding. Congratulating and whistling at their new King and Queen of Bergen Town.  
Gristle was once more beaming with pride while Bridget blushed ferociously.  
Everyone cheered and caused a ruckus even as they watched the King and Queen walk hand in hand past their thrones to the door to the dining room.  
When Bridget walked in she gasped at the beauty as Gristle led her to their seat at the head of the arranged tables.  
Glowing moss had been hung from the ceiling in gentle whites and darker yellows. All around them on the tables and between the feast of food were vases filled with brightly glowing flowers. Once more these were randomly colored. The floor was covered in sparkles and glitter of white, silver, and holographic hues so that it caught the glowing of the moss and the flowers and almost illuminated the floor.  
Bridget and Gristle were seated. They watched as HoneySuckle and Guy Diamond came in directly after them as stand in for the Queen Poppy and her Prime Minster Branch. They were set across from them in the center of the room on their smaller tables-once more propped on a larger table-so they were all on the same dining level.  
Once this was done the rest of the Trolls and Bergen's sidled in through the door and took their seats. Very soon the noise was very raucous and cheerful as plates clinked and glasses were tapped together in toasts. Bridget and Gristle didn't seem to want to talk to anyone but to stare at each other as if they couldn't look away. Sometimes one would feed the other. Grossly, of course, because they were Bergen. But it was sweet all the same.  
"This just isn't right Guy." HoneySuckle said to him as she fiddled with her food on her plate with a utensil.  
He was making the most of it and making sure his stomach was full before the Trolls demanded to run in to the forest to look for the runaway Queen. Before he answered her he made sure he swallowed what was in his mouth; "It's going to be alright. We're going to look for them right after this, remember? You need to eat so you have the strength."  
HoneySuckle sighed deeply; "Yeah, I suppose you're right."  
The dinner went on this way with everyone being very happy and excited except HoneySuckle.  
It seemed to take a couple hours but soon the servers were taking away plates and platters. Trolls as well as Bergen were leaving the tables to go stand beside the bars on either side of the room. Once everyone was done with their meal all of the tables were cleared away as inconspicuously as possible. Music had started and, well, the rest of the night was whatever one made it.  
At the side of the Troll's bar the snack pack and HoneySuckle gathered to discuss how they could sneak off without it looking rude. Before she could even open her mouth to say something someone near the entrance yelled in disbelief - "It's Queen Poppy!"  
The music stopped and the room immediately became silent. Everyone stood off to the sides as they watched Poppy and Branch walk in holding hands. Gristle and Bridget didn't know what to say as they watched the Trolls walk in so they also remained silent. The two little Trolls walked in to the center of the room and faced each other. They were both wearing funny little clothes Branch had fashioned out of leaves and some sort of fabric from a plant. But they were each glowing. Her dazzling pink and his eye grabbing cerulean.

 ** _(All About Us: He Is We Featuring Owl City)_**

Poppy began to sing as she held Branch's hands.  
 _"Take my hand. I'll teach you to dance. I'll spin you around."_  
She made Branch do a little twirl and their hands were separated but her song continued.  
 _"Won't let you fall down."_ She took a step towards him with her hand to her heart and another hand held out. He took it.  
 _"Would you let me lead? You can step on my feet."_ Branch chuckled at the line but he let his toes go over top of her little dainty ones. His smile literally was ear to ear.  
 _"Give it a try. It'll be alright."_  
 ** _Both: "The rooms hush hush and now's our moment."_**  
Poppy: _"Take it in feel it all and hold it."_  
 _ **Both: "Eyes on you, eyes on me, we're doing this right."**_  
Poppy: _"Cause"_  
They began to twirl and dance around the floor. With their glowing so exuberantly it seemed to agitate the moss hanging from the ceiling. It began to glow brighter too. The white moss turned slowly in to a mix of their colors almost in a tye-dyed way with their colors turning from magenta's to deep purples.  
 ** _Both: "Cause lovers dance when they're feeling in love. Spotlight's shining it's all about us. It's all...about us...and every heart in the room will melt. This is a feeling I've never felt but it's all...about us.."_**  
They parted and Branch began to sing. Everyone in the room had started to gravitate to their own loves or crushes or were staring at them from across the room. Once Branch finished his line, however, many Bergen and Trolls joined together shyly to dance with them. HoneySuckle had been squealing in delight and nearly tackled Guy Diamond jumping on him in her excitement.  
Branch puffed up his little chest with his palms flat against it.  
Branch: _"Suddenly..."_  
He put his hands to his side and stood straight up like a shoulder with his fists clasped tight.  
Branch: _"I'm feeling brave."_  
He relaxed his pose and put his hand back on his heart as he took a step towards Poppy but not close enough yet to reach her.  
Branch: _"I don't know what's got into me. Why I feel this way..."_  
He took another step towards her and placed a hand on her lower back. Pulling her flush against him and leaning her back. His other hand went to her temple as he stroked her hair;  
Branch: _"Can we dance..._ _ **real slow**_ _...Can I hold you? Can I hold you close?"_  
 _ **Both: " The rooms hush hush and now's our moment."**_  
Poppy: _"Take it in feel it all and hold it."_  
 ** _Both: "Eyes on you, eyes on me, we're doing this right."_**  
Poppy: _"Cause"_  
They began to twirl around the room again and this delighted the others and gave them the courage to dance with their own loves.  
 ** _Both: "Lovers dance when they're feeling in love. Spotlight's shining it's all about us, it's all...about us...and every heart in the room will melt. This is a feeling I've never felt but...it's all...about us."_**  
They stopped dancing once more and Poppy stood with her hand to her ear as if she were listening to something. Everyone stopped and looked at her, including Branch, but he was grinning with his arms comfortably crossed.  
Poppy: _"Do you hear that love? They're playing our song."_  
Branch uncrossed his arms and pretended to act like he was nervous as he asked her in song;  
Branch: _"Do you think we're ready? Oh I'm really feeling it..."_  
Poppy: _"Do you hear that love? Do you hear that love?"_  
They switched up and Branch put his hand to his ear as if he were listening to something. Poppy in turn sang very exuberantly;  
Branch: _"Do you hear that love? They're playing our song."_  
Poppy: _"Do you think we're ready and_ _ **OH I'm really feeling it**_ _"_  
She turned and grabbed his hands in hers.  
Poppy: _"Do you hear that love?"_  
Branch: _"Do you hear that love?"_  
Poppy: _"Do you hear that love, they're playing our song!"_  
Branch pulled her close and sang to her in such a way that implied he was more than ready for a little dance;  
Branch: _"Do you think we're ready? and_ _ **OH I'm really feeling it.**_ _"_  
Poppy: _"Do you hear that love?"_  
 _ **Both: "Do you hear that love?"**_  
They started to dance and all of the Trolls, including some brave Bergen, sang the rest of the song along with them.  
 ** _All: "Lovers dance when they're feeling in love. Spotlight's shining it's all about us, it's all about us. Every heart in the room will melt. This is a feeling I've never felt, but...it's all...about us. Cause lovers dance when they're feeling in love. The spotlight's shining and it's all about us, it's all about us. And every heart in the room will melt and this is a feeling I've never felt but..it's all...about us."_**  
Branch and Poppy stopped and watched everyone cheerfully dancing around them. So much so that they actually stopped glowing and walked out of the castle hand in hand. The streets were quiet, the castle was crazy, and the Troll tree was deserted.  
They made their way to Poppy's chambers, not yet even her bedroom, and she hung a sign that read {Please, Do Not Disturb} so that they wouldn't be interrupted.  
Poppy plopped on to her comfortable pillowy bed and Branch plopped beside her. For a few minutes they just laid there on their backs appreciating what a good bed felt like. It had been a long week in the forest sleeping on the ground or on leaves.  
After a while they both turned to their sides and faced each other.  
"Now what?" Poppy asked.  
Branch half shrugged and he looked dead tired all of the sudden.  
"I could go for a nap."  
Poppy laughed and it made his heart light up all over again. He couldn't hide the grin on his face. When he made her laugh it felt to him like he saved the world with a hand tied behind his back.  
Instead of sleeping Poppy wrapped her hands behind his head and pulled him in for a deep kiss. She pressed her little chest up against his and his arms wrapped around her waist. Both of their minds went empty except for the sensation of the other being so close. Their mouth's dancing with one another. Tongue's tasting what the other thought they would never get to taste.  
Slowly, and slightly shakily, Branch started to pull Poppy's dress down off of her shoulders. It became apparent pretty quickly that that wasn't going to happen with them laying down. So Poppy popped away from his kiss and wiggled away from him to hop off the bed.  
"Wha?" Branch looked like someone stole his pet.  
Poppy laughed again as she took her own dress off and tossed it in a corner; "There's no way we can get naked that way."  
Branch just looked at her. Her little hidden parts were no longer hidden and she was just so beautiful. So breathtaking. He wanted to soak in every inch and burn it in to his minds eye so he would never forget.  
All of the staring made her feel self conscious suddenly and she kind of crossed her legs a little bit and an arm snaked up to cover her chest.  
"No no no..." Branch went to get off the bed but went so fast he actually just fell off with a thud.  
It eased the moment for her as she got to laugh at him. But he stood back up with a deep purple blush on his face as he fumbled with his clothes.  
Poppy couldn't believe it.  
He was so much more nervous than she was and she was pretty damned nervous. She sat on her legs on the bed so she could hide that her knees were quaky. Branch finally undid his pants and swallowed an extremely large lump in his throat. He wanted to cover himself but instead looked away as his face was on fire. Poppy tilted her head at his embarrassed face and then slowly looked down. She blushed too when she got to his erection and covered her mouth with a little gasp.  
He jumped and looked down at her in terror; "Oh no, is something wrong with it?" Looked down at himself.  
Poppy died.  
She literally just laid on the bed and laughed so hard she had tears coming out of her eyes. This did not encourage Branch because he wasn't entirely sure why she was laughing. But the kind of laugh was infectious and he couldn't stop the chuckle; "Seriously, what the heck?"  
"There's nothing _wrong_ with you, Branch. I just..didn't think they were supposed to be that big?"  
"Oh." He said and sat beside her. "Well, I don't know. I don't go around looking at other dudes tools." He said so matter of factly she giggled again.  
His eyes narrowed as he shut her up with a nice deep kiss. She wiggled on to her back and pulled him close to her. But he was holding half of his weight off of her, and not touching her yet, where she wanted to be. When he felt like she was pulling away he slowly started to ease his weight against her until he was at her entrance.  
Their kiss broke and they looked at each other. Neither had done this before. Branch figured he had more of an idea about it than she did though.  
"Stop me if I hurt you." He whispered.  
"You're not going to hurt me, Branch." She whispered back a little confused.  
He kissed her again softly. Letting her lead the way. She kissed him back a little uncertain at first. But the more that they kissed once again their minds went blank and instinct took over. He rolled his hips against her absently and got himself a little yelp as he felt just a tiny bit of himself between her.  
"Are you okay?" Branch asked.  
Poppy looked confused; "Y-yeah. It just...It feels like it's supposed to feel good but...When you did that...It hurt at the same time."  
"Just think of it as a dance." He whispered and cupped her face in his hands. Those hands were shaking as was the rest of him; "At first you stumble, but the more you do, the easier it gets..."  
He pushed his hips against her again. This time he came to a little barrier, and somehow, he knew what it was and what it meant. Poppy was squeaking and digging her nails in to his back without realizing it.  
He figured it would be easier for her if he just did it all at once like a bandage being ripped away. So with a grunt of pain because she drew blood on his shoulders he pushed himself inside of her in one firm motion. The barrier popped and Poppy screamed in his ear so loud that for a minute all he could hear was ringing on that side.  
"Do you want to stop?" He asked.  
"No.." She sniffled.  
He kissed her all along her face tenderly. The tears that broke from her pretty eyes. Her little nose. Sweet freckled cheeks. His hands roamed about her hair and her face reverently and soft as a feather. Just as gently he started to pull himself back out of her. She was extremely sensitive and cried out with every movement he made. But for all of her noises and clinging to him, she didn't say stop, so he continued.  
He was almost out of her softness when he pushed back inside her. Poppy's body recoiled but he grabbed a hold of her hips and made sure she couldn't pull away. He rested his forehead against hers as he listened to her cries and hoped that soon they would turn to ones of pleasure.  
He realized it first that as he pulled out and rolled back in that her walls were starting to constrict and squeeze at him in a rhythm. Poppy couldn't follow it but started to haphazardly push her hips against him. He chuckled beneath his breath and led her to find the right spot. Soon, just like he said, it was like a dance. Their bodies moved together as one and all of the pain she had felt at the start had stopped and been replaced with sensations she never even imagined before.  
"Oh.. _Oh Branch_..." She whimpered in his ear.  
Branch shuddered at the way she said his name and let go of her hips. She met each gentle thrust of his own until he could reach no further. He gripped the bed frame in front of her and tried to control himself. Poppy was the one that let him lose the control as she started to glow and her hair intertwined in his. He glowed along with her as they began to sweat with their efforts.  
Branch used the bed frame to push himself in to her harder. Poppy arched her back in reflex and cried out in delight. He continued this and it got to be rather rough when all the sudden she gasped and clung to him tightly.  
As soon as he was going to ask her what was wrong he felt it-Her squeezing him from inside so tightly that it pinched. He gasped too and let go of the bed to hold on to her. It felt like an eternity that her body was seized around him when all at once it started to constrict and loosen around him. Branch whimpered at the sensation and didn't know either to move or to stay still.  
Poppy, with the strength of her hair, made him look in to her eyes as she whispered; "Give me a baby, Branch..."  
He didn't question the request as it filled his heart to bursting. His body moved in tandem with hers until he began to feel himself let go. He cried out with her as he could feel himself being released in spasms that, somehow, were matching hers.  
They rode the magnificent feeling and glowed so brightly the room turned purple. Then slowly, their bodies calmed down, their movements eased. Their breathing was ragged and they were covered in sweat but they cupped each others faces and both said -"I love you" at the same time.  
It seemed as if neither of them were Love Sick any longer.

 ** _(There you have it guys. The end to the story. I am SO not good at writing smut! Lemons! Whatever you wanna call it! But I hope that you enjoyed the last part as much as the rest of the story. If there is a sequel it'll have to be asked for...PM me..let me know. I already have a few ideas in my head. But once again, I don't want to bother if no one is going to bother to read it. Thanks!)_**


End file.
